Warrior cats: A great destiny Book 1: The beginning
by Silverfeather222
Summary: Cinderpaw, Dovepaw and Featherpaw are three sister-apprentices. They have a very eventful apprenticeship, there are hostile other clans, fires, love, hate and quarrels among themselves. Follow them through the very beginning of their life. I hope you'll like it! This is book 1, once I'm finished I'll publish book 2. Read & Review! (R&R!)
1. Allegiances

**Allegiances:**

**Lionclan:**

**Leader: Jaystar, **_dark gray she-cat with gray blue eyes._

**Deputy: Tigerstripe, **_Orange tom with brown stripes across his back, green eyes._

**Apprentice: Dovepaw**

**Medicine cat: Fernleaf: **_Wiry brown she-cat with light amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Berrypaw**

**Warriors:**

**Oakleap: **_White tom with brown stripes._

**Apprentice Cinderpaw**

**Lionclaw: **_Golden tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice Stonepaw**

**Lightningwing: **_Brown tom with a huge scar on his belly._

**Apprentice Mousepaw**

**Thunderstrike: **_Brown tom with big paws, light amber eyes._

**Lilypetal: **_White she-cat with gray stripes and blue eyes. _

**Stormshine: **_Pale gray with darker fleckes, tom with dark blue eyes._

**Heathershine: **_Pale gray with darker fleckes, she-cat with heather colored eyes._

**Apprentice: Featherpaw**

**Nettlepool: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with dark amber eyes._

**Apprentices: **_(cats in training to become warriors._

**Mousepaw: **_Wiry brown she-cat with amber eyes._

**Stonepaw: **_Wiry brown tom with amber eyes. _

**Dovepaw: **_Gray-white she-cat with darker gray stripes, blue eyes._

**Featherpaw: **_Very light gray she-cat with black stripes, blue eyes._

**Cinderpaw:**_ Gray-brown she-cat with dark brown stripes, blue eyes._

**Berrypaw: **_Dark brown tom with light green eyes._

**Queens: **_(she-cats excepting or nursing kits.)_

**Goldcloud: **_Golden she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Stormshine´s kits, Seedkit, Honeykit, and Poppykit._

**Sorrelpelt: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with grayish eyes, excpecting Thunderstrike´s kits._

**Elders: **_(retired from their warrior duties because they where too old.)_

**Tawnypool: **_Tabby she-cat with amber eyes, the oldest cat in Lionclan._

**Ferretwing: **_Gray-brown tom with dark blue eyes. _

**Treemouse: **_Ginger tom with some brown fleckes, amber eyes._

**Tigerclan:**

**Leader: Toadstar: **_Brown tabby tom with green eyes._

**Deputy: Starlingflight: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with hazel eyes._

**Medicine cat: Larchfur: **_Brown tabby tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Sagepaw: **_Dark gray she-cat with bright green eyes._

**Warriors:**

**Pinefur: **_Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Emberpaw**

**Briarstrike: **_Light brown-gray tom with light green eyes._

**Gingerwing: **_Ginger she-cat with green eyes._

**Apprentice: Junglepaw**

**Shadowcloud: **_Almost black tom with very dark blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Darkpaw**

**Sedgenose: **_Very light brown she-cat with light blue eyes._

**Gorsepelt: **_Gray she-cat with amber eyes and very long fur._

**Apprentice: Nosepaw**

**Sparrowfeather: **_White she-cat with light green eyes._

**Willowfrost: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Treepaw**

**Apprentices: **_(cats training to be warriors)_

**Emberpaw: **_Dark gray she-cat with blue eyes and long fur._

**Junglepaw: **_Brown tom with wild fur and dark blue eyes._

**Cedarpaw: **_Black tom with dark brown stripes and amber eyes._

**Nosepaw: **_Ginger she-cat with green eyes._

**Treepaw: **_Light brown tom with green eyes._

**Sagepaw: **_Gray she-cat with green eyes and fluffy fur._

**Queens: **_(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)._

**Birdwing: **_Gray she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Pinefur´s kits, Littlekit, Redkit and Tansykit._

**Yarrowpelt: **_Almost yellow cat with green eyes, expecting Shadowcloud´s kits._

**Elders: **_(retired from their warrior duties because they where too old.)_

**Flameflight: **_Ginger tom with amber eyes, the oldest cat in Tigerclan._

**Bouldertail: **_Brown taaby tom with green eyes._

**Tailwing: **_Gray she-cat with blue eyes._

**Jaguarclan:**

**Leader: Moorstar: **_Light gray she-cat with some brown flecks on her back, blue eyes._

**Deputy: Runninghare: **_Wiry brown tom with blue-green eyes._

**Medicine cat: Daisytail: **_Pretty light gray she-cat with deep blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Moonpaw**

**Warriors:**

**Grasspelt: **_White tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Flypaw**

**Groundsong: **_Very dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes._

**Lightwing: **_Pretty tortoisesshell she-cat with beautiful amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Rabbitpaw**

**Blossomheart: **_Pale grey with darker fleckes she-cat, with pretty blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Harepaw**

**Junglestripe: **_Strong dark brown tom with dark amber eyes._

**Jaguarfur: **_Unusually spotted brown she-cat with green eyes._

**Apprentice: Starpaw**

**Huntingleap: **_Brown-gray tom with long legs, amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Sunpaw**

**Brightsong: **_Beautiful light gray she-cat with brown spots on her back, amber eyes._

**Apprentices: **_(Cats traning to become warriors)_

**Flypaw: **_Very light brownish gray she-cat, light green eyes._

**Rabbitpaw: **_Light gray with dark gray fleckes, tom, amber eyes._

**Harepaw: **_Light gray with dark gray fleckes, tom, amber eyes._

**Starpaw: **_Toroisesshell and white she-cat with pretty amber eyes._

**Sunpaw: **_Tabby she-cat with some white fleckes on her back, pretty amber eyes._

**Moonpaw: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with pretty amber eyes._

**Queens: **_(She-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

**Frosttail: **_White-gray she-cat with icy blue eyes, mother to Huntingleap´s kits, Volekit, Larkkit and Windkit._

**Flowerleaf: **_Golden she-cat with beautiful dapples on her coat, amber eyes, expecting Junglestripe´s kits._

**Elders: **_(retired to their warrior duties because they where to old.)_

**Fastflight: **_Gray she-cat with blue eyes, the oldest cat in Jaguarclan._

**Dapplemist: **_Tortoisesshell she-cat with beautiful amber eyes._

**Olivetail: **_Dark brown tom with dark blue eyes._

**Leopardclan:**

**Leader: Thistlestar: **_Large gray tom with spiky fur and amber eyes._

**Deputy: Patchfur: **_Light brown tom with dark brown patches, green eyes._

**Medicine cat: Barkpelt: **_Brown tabby tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Flowerpaw**

**Warriors:**

**Mistwing: **_Light gray she-cat with dark gray stripes, blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Riverpaw**

**Silverpool: **_Silvery gray she-cat with pretty blue eyes._

**Hailfall: **_Light brown tom with green eyes._

**Apprentice: Brookpaw**

**Mossleaf: **_Gray she-cat with black spots on her coat, blue eyes._

**Apprentice: Streampaw**

**Pebblefoot: **_Gray-brown tom with amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Plantpaw**

**Petalnose: **_Brown she-cat with hazel eyes._

**Fishleap: **_Dark gray tom with long legs and amber eyes._

**Birchpelt: **_Light__brown tom with darker felckes, amber eyes._

**Apprentice: Skypaw**

**Leopardpelt: **_Dappled golden she-cat with amber eyes._

**Apprentices: **_(Cats training to become warriors.)_

**Skypaw: **_Blue-gray tom with blue eyes._

**Riverpaw:**_ Gray tom with amber eyes._

**Brookpaw: **_Light gray she-cat with green eyes._

**Streampaw: **_Silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes._

**Plantpaw: **_Brown tabby tom with green eyes._

**Flowerpaw: **_Tortoisesshell and white she-cat with green eyes._

**Queens: **_(She-cats expecting or nursing kits.)_

**Greenpetal: **_Gray she-cat with pretty green eyes, mother to Pebblefoot´s kits, Rainbowkit, Rosekit and Reedkit.)_

**Rainmist: **_Dark gray she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Fishleap´s kits._

**Elders:**

**Spottytail: **_Once beautiful dappled golden she-cat, with amber eyes._

**Ravenmist: **_Black tom with dark blue eyes._

**Shadepelt: **_Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes._

**Cats outside clans:**

**Harry: **_Brown tabby tom with yellow-green eyes._

_Special thanks to the warrior books, from who I got my idea._

_And to Harry, our dear cat, who is with Heavenclan now._

Prologue:

Brightstar entered the Heavenclan clearing, with Brackenstar following her.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Dovekit woke up.

The first thought that sprang through her mind was: Today's my apprentice ceremony!

She got so excited, that she jumped right on top of Featherkit, her littermate. Featherkit started squealing, clearly in shock that she woke up in such a quick way.

'Ouch!' Dovekit felt small paws landing on her back. She turned her head, and she looked in the deep blue eyes of Featherkit. They started play-wrestling. During their play-fight, Dovekit felt a small fluffy, squealing bundle under her body. She stood up. She felt her eyes turn wide with embarrasment as she looked at the bundle: Cinderkit. 'Sorry!' She mewed quickly to her littermate, but it was to late, Cinderkit started walking toward her, with an angry look in her face. Dovekit got really scared, until she saw a amused look in Cinderkit's eyes. They started play-fighting. Dovekit was just winning, when something caught her: Lilypetal, her mother. Dovekit tried to squirm away from her, determined to win the fight, but Lilypetal was stronger.

'Stop fighting!/ Her mother said, trying to clean Cinderkit, but failing. 'I can do my own fur!' Cinderkit called out, half proud, half angry. 'Yeah! We´re almost apprentices!' Dovekit put in. 'And we're going to be the best warriors ever!' Featherkit called out, fluffing out her fur and raking her claws arcoss the bedding. 'Well, we shall see,' Lilypetal said, 'first you will have to be apprentices.'

'Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!'

Dovekit heard Jaystar's voice ringing through the clearing, and she saw all the cats of her clan gathering around the highrock, to watch her, Cinderkit's and Featherkit's apprentice ceremony.

'Who do you think our mentors will be?' She murmerd to Featherkit and Cinderkit. Featherkit looked at her with shocked eyes. 'Why would we know that?' She retorted sharply, 'after all, it´s kept secret until the ceremony.'

'Stop quarreling,' Lilypetal said, 'the ceremony is about to begin.'

Dovekit wondered why Featherkit was so snappy, probably because she was nervous.

Jaystar went on with holding his speech. 'There are some kits to ben named as apprentices.'

'Cinderkit, step forward.' Cinderkit stepped forward, she didn´t look nervous at all.

'From this day on, until she has been given her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Cinderpaw. Oakleap, you will be Cinderpaws mentor, I except you to learn Cinderpaw all the skills the clan has thought you.' 'Of course,' Oakleap replied. Dovekit wached Oakleap and Cinderpaw touch noses.

'Dovekit.' Dovekit looked up in shock as she heard her name. 'Step forward.' Dovekit stepped forward carefully, wachting carefully where she put her paws, not wanting anything to go wrong at her appren-

tice ceremony.

Jaystar went on. 'From this day on, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Dovepaw.' Dovepaw felt thrilled as she heard her apprentice name for the first time. 'Tigerstripe, you are a great skilled warrior, I except you to teach all your skills to Dovepaw.' 'Certainly,' Tigerstripe replied. Wow! Dovepaw felt honered. Her mentor was the clan deputy! Dovepaw touched noses with Tigerstripe. Then she stepped back, ready to watch Featherkits naming ceremony.

After the naming ceremony, when Featherpaw had touched noses with her mentor, Heathershine, the clan started chanting their apprentice names: 'Cinderpaw, Cinderpaw, Dovepaw, Dovepaw, Featherpaw, Featherpaw!'

Dovepaw felt honored, she couldn´t wait to start her training.

She had the greatest mentor ever.

She loved her life.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

'And this is the sunshine-pool, Heathershine told her.'

Today it was Featherpaw's first day out of the camp, Heathershine had taken her out to explore the whole Lionclan territory.

'Oooh, it feels nice and warm!' Featherpaw said. She already knew that this would be one of her favourite places on the whole territory. The place was perfect, If it got to warm, you could just lap some water from the sunshine-pool. She tried some. Yuck! It was way to warm.

She saw Heathershine looking at her, while she was purring, clearly amused. 'You won't be able to drink that water,' she explained, 'it gets warmed up by the sun. So if you´ll want a nice drink, you´ll have to go to the pool by the border, in the shade. Expecially now, because it´s Green-leaf. Come on, I'll show you the shade-stream.'

After she had seen the shade-stream, Heathershine showed her the clan boundarys, and the scents of the other clans.

First they went to the Tigerclan boundary, close to the shade-stream. 'The scent you can smell on the other side of the stream is Tigerclan-scent, and the territory on the other side of the stream is Tigerclan territory,' Heathershine explained. Featherpaw breathed in the scent deeply. It smelled yucky.

'It smells disgusting!' She said to Heathershine. 'Yes, I agree,' Heathershine said. 'Every clan-scent smells different, because we all live in different kind of territorys.'

After they had visited Tiger-and Jaguarclans border's, they went to visit Leopardclan's.

Featherpaw breathed in another strange fishy scent. 'What do you smell?' Heathershine asked.

'Fish.' Featherpaw replied. 'Yes.' Heathershine purred. 'But something else too. A Leopardclan patrol.'

Featherpaw looked up at Heathershine, alarmed. 'Leopardclan has been quite hostile, the last few moons, so we´ll better get out of here.' Heathershine said.

'To late!' Featherpaw heard an angry growl from behind her. She spun around. She saw a huge white cat emerging from behind the bushes, with a yellow cat with dark patches on his pelt beside him. Behind the yellow and white cat stood a smaller brown cat, clearly an apprentice.

'That yellow and brown cat is Pachtfoot, Leopardclans deputy,' Heathershine whispered in her ear. 'That big white cat beside him is Birchpelt, one of their fiercest warriors, and that brown apprentice behind them is Skypaw.'

'What are you doing on _our _territory?' Birchpelt challenged. 'I´m just exploring the territory with _my_ apprentice.' Heathershine retorted sharply. 'Oh, and who gave you premission to explore _our_ territory?' Birchpelt said angerly. 'This is not your territory, it´s the border!' Featherpaw couldn´t stop herself from saying it, it just _had_ to come out. Heathershine gave her a warning look. 'Why do we eat fish, _apprentice?' _Birchpelt said, saying the word _apprentice_ mockingly. 'Because there are rivers in your territory!' Featherpaw spat angerly. 'Yes, indeed, _apprentice.'_ Birchpelt said. 'And wat is this?' 'A river.' Featherpaw answered easily. 'Yes, and you said our territory is made of rivers, and this is a river, so this is our territory.' Featherpaw was about to open her mouth, when she realized she had no answer.

'Thats unreasanable!' Heathershine, retorted. She sounded very angry now. 'Tigerclan and Jaguarclan also have rivers!' 'Yes, but this is a border stream, and we have more right for it than you!'

Featherpaw copied Heatershine, trying to make her fur bristle. 'You don´t scare us!' Skypaw said, walking to the side of his mentor, Birchpelt. 'Yeah, you don´t scare us either!' Featherpaw peeped up again. 'You're just an apprentice!' 'So are you!' Skypaw snapped, 'and I have been training for longer than you!' Featherpaw looked down. She felt beaten.

'We are going to escort you to our camp.' Patchfoot said. 'You will be prisoners.' 'Yeah, and don´t try to fight, you´re just an untrained apprentice and a stupid she-cat.' Birchpelt retorted.

Featherpaw felt miserable. It was her first day, and she was a prisoner, captured by an enemy clan.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

'Wow! What a _huge _forest!' Cinderpaw was thrilled as she saw the forest from a ledge made of rocks: the sky-point, as her clan called it.

Oakleap was her mentor, and Cinderpaw was proud of it.

She admired Oakleap, he was a fast, strong warrior, and Cinderpaw wanted to be just like him.

'Where are we going now?' Cinderpaw asked Oakleap, eager to explore the whole forest.

'That way, to the shade-stream.' Oakleap pointed with his tail to a shady spot.

'Okay!' Cinderpaw ran off.

When she was by a shady stream, she noticed that Oakleap wasn´t with her anymore. Well, I´ll just have to wait then, Cinderpaw thought.

When she waited a _long _time, she felt that it had been for moons, Oakleap still wasn´t there.

So she started to explore the territory on her own. The territory had a strange yucky scent, Cinderpaw couldn´t believe that her clanmates actually _liked_ this spot.

Hello there, a voice mewed behind her. Cinderpaw span around. She saw a tabby tom cat in front of her. It wasn´t someone of her clan.

Cinderpaw unseathed her claws, ready to fight.

Her enemy wasn´t ready when she jumped on him. She rolled her enemy rolled over as she was winning the fight, but he was clever too, she didn´t manage to scratch him.

She had won. 'Who are you?' Cinderpaw asked the tabby, from which clan are you? 'You´re certainly not of Lionclan.'

'I, I´m Harry,' the tabby said, 'I, I´m not from any of the clans.' How can I trust you?' Cinderpaw questioned. 'I swear it,' said Harry. 'I have an importend message for Jaystar.'

'O-Okay.' Cinderpaw hesitated as she spoke, wondering what Jaystar or Oakleap would have done.

'But if you put one paw wrong, you will be held prisoner.'

'Well done, Cinderpaw.' Cinderpaw span around again. But this time it was someone familiar: Oakleap.

'This is Harry,' Oakleap explained, 'Harry has helped our clan in the past, and sometimes he comes with importend messages for Jaystar.'

Oh. So this cat _was_ good.

'Have you noticed that you aren´t in our territory?'

'It smells a bit strange.' Cinderpaw admitted. 'I lead you out of our territory.' Oakleap explained, 'to see how you would cope on your own, in unknown territory,this is out of clan territory, near the monster-road, that´s the disgusting scent. I have to say, you did well.'

Cinderpaw grew hot under his praise.

'We´d better get back to camp.' Oakleap said. 'To see what Harry has to say, come on, Harry!'

When they were back in camp, Oakleap went straight to Jaystars den, with Harry.

When Jaystar, Harry, and Oakleap came back to the clearing, Cinderpaw saw immediatley that it wasn´t good news.

'Clan!' Jaystar said, there was no need to call for an clan meeting, everyone in camp was already in the clearing, because Harry was in camp.

'I have bad news.' Jaystar went on, with a grave look on her face.

'We must double all the patrols, and all apprentices will have battle training!' Jaystar continued.

'Why?' Cinderpaw thought.

'Why?' Stormshine spoke his question out loud.

Then Jaystar yoweld: 'Leopardclan is planning an attack on us!'


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Dovepaw was very tired.

She had just explored the whole territory with Tigerstripe, it was really fun, but now she was really tired.

As she emerged into the clearing, she heard Jaystar yowl angerly: 'Leopardclan is planning an attack on us!'

Dovepaw felt schocked. 'Why would they plan an attack on us?' She asked Tigerstripe. 'Dunno.' Tigerstripe said, distracted, clearly listening to Jaystar. There was a strange cat sitting beside Oakleap and Cinderpaw, a tabby. Dovepaw ran over to Cinderpaw.

'Who is that strange cat?' She asked Cinderpaw.

'He´s called Harry.' Cinderpaw explained, 'Oakleap says that he´s helped Lionclan in the past.'

'Oh. Okay.' Dovepaw said. 'Why is he here now?'

'He was the one who warned Jaystar, about Leopardclan.' Cinderpaw said. 'I found him!' She added proudly.

Wow, Cinderpaw had already found a loner! She had only explored their stupid territory.

Dovepaw yawned. 'Come on.' Cinderpaw, said, 'lets tell Featherpaw!'

'Featherpaw?' Dovepaw said. 'Is she in camp?' Dovepaw looked around the clearing. There was no sign of Featherpaw, she clearly wasn´t in the clearing. 'N-no.' Cinderpaw replied. 'I can´t see, her. Mabey she´s in the apprentice-den, because she´s tired.' Cinderpaw and Dovepaw walked to the apprentice-den.

But Featherpaw wasn´t there. When they had finished looking all around the camp, there was no sign of Featherpaw.

'Well, she must still be exploring the territory!' Cinderpaw said. 'Heathershine isn´t here either.'

'Yes, I suppose so...' Dovepaw replied, she yawned again. 'Come on, lets go and sleep.' Then she got excited. 'We can sleep in the apprentice-den from now on!' She announced.

So she curled up with Cinderpaw, in the new, warm apprentice-den.

Dovepaw woke up in a dream.

She saw Featherpaw.

It was cold, unfamiliar, and there were strange, sneering, mean cats.

She saw Heathershine too.

'Hi! Featherpaw!' She mewed to her sister.

But Featherpaw didn´t hear her, in fact, Featherpaw looked as if she didn´t see her at all. None of the cats saw her.

She gave a yowl of shock as she felt a cat walk straight thourgh her. Was she dead?

No, she thought, if she was dead, she would be in Heavenclan. And this wasn´t Heavenclan, these cats where mean. Was it Darkclan? No, she wasn´t dead, and Featherpaw, wasn´t dead.

A nagging thought came through her head, what if she and Featherpaw were dead, what if they were in Darkclan now? No, they hadn´t done anything wrong, as long as she knew, and Featherpaw would _never _be in Darkclan.

But what if they had done something wrong, but never realized it?

She shook the thought away from her head, annoyed with herself.

The cats were treating Featherpaw and Heathershine harshly, what a terrible dream was this!

Dovepaw woke up, she felt relieved when she realized that it had just been a dream.

But then all the happiness drained away from her body. Featherpaw was missing.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Wow. Featherpaw didn´t know that Leopardclan held so many cats prisoner, so many cats, and so many strange scents!

Heathershine looked astonished too. 'So many cats captured!' Featherpaw whispered to Heathershine.

This was terrible. Leopardclan held all these cats captured for no reason.

'Well.' Heathershine said. 'We´ll better make the best of it and make friends.'

'O-okay.' Featherpaw said, she hesitated as she added. 'But we´re not supposed to have friends in other clans, isn't it?'

'You can have friends, of course.' Heathershine explained. 'But it shouldn´t be a very close friendship, because you may have to fight eachother one day.'

Featherpaw walked to an apprentice.

'Hi, I'm Featherpaw of Lionclan.' she mewed shyly, not knowing what his reaction would be.

'Hello, I'm Cedarpaw of Tigerclan.' he mewed friendly. Featherpaw was relieved.

'What are they going to do with us?' She asked Cedarpaw.

'They are just keeping us prisoners.' he answered, 'they want our clans to exchange prey for us.'

'That's horrible!' She exclaimed. 'Yes.' Cedarpaw agreed, and then he added, 'come and meet the other two apprentices!'

They walked toward a pale ginger tom and a gray-blue she-cat. 'These are Harepaw and Flypaw of Jaguarclan.' Cedarpaw introduced the apprentices. 'Harepaw, Flypaw, this is Featherpaw of Lionclan.'

'Hi!' Featherpaw said excitedly, it´s great to meet ctas from other clans, she thought. 'Harepaw nodded a greeting, and Flypaw said: 'Hello!'

'Come on, I´ll introduce the other cats to you!' Said Cedarpaw, clearly he liked the job.

They walked over to a group of other cats, with Heathertail among them.

'These are Sparrowfeather and Willowfrost of Tigerclan.' Cedarpaw said, 'and this is Blossomheart of Jaguarclan.'

They walked to the second group of cats.

'These are Frosttail and Volekit of Jaguarclan, and Briarstrike of Tigerclan.'

How horrible, so many cats, even a kit among them! Thought Featherpaw.

'How did they capture you?' She asked Cedarpaw.

'I was hunting for my warrior assesment.' he said, 'and I heard something rustling in the bushes, I thought it was a mouse or something, so I jumped, but it was Birchpelts tail!' He licked his chest in embarrasment. Featherpaw let out an amused pur. 'Go on.' she said. 'So he jumped on me, and he took me here, as a prisoner.' Cedarpaw finished.

'What was he doing in _your_ territory?' She asked.

'Dunno, probaly looking for prisoners.' He replied.

'This is so cruel!' She exclaimed angerly. 'How can they do this!'

'Clearly they can.' Cedarpaw said dryly. 'You never met Thistlestar.

'Thistlestar? Is that Leopardclans leader?' She didn´t wait for an answer. 'He's one of the greatest warriors of the forest isn't he?'

'He _was_ one of the greatest warriors.' Cedarpaw said. 'He isn't anymore. Since he became leader he's just cruel and ambitious.'

'How horrible!' After a little silence, Cinderpaw thought of something else. 'Will they even give us prey?' She was scared for the answer.

Her head filled with dread as she heard the answer: 'No why should they, they think it's a waste of prey.'

'It's horrible what all these cats are doing.' She repeated.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

What a delicious mouse! Cinderpaw thought, while she stalked it.

Ouch! Something from far away was prodding her.

Ouch! The stupid thing was distracting her from her hunt!

Concentrate! She told herself, you don't want to miss this mouse!

She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate.

She opened them again, but there was no juicy mouse, just an alarmed looking Dovepaw.

To bad, it had just been a dream.

'What was that for?' She asked Dovepaw crossly. 'There was this delicious mouse in my dream, I almost caught it, but then you had to come and disturb me, why did you -'

'C-Cinderpaw!' Dovepaw was clearly finding it hard to catch her breath. 'F-Featherpaw is missing! She hasn´t slept in her nest all night, clearly she hasn´t come back to camp!'

'Oh no!' Cinderpaw wasn´t cross with Dovepaw now, their own sister was missing!

'We have to tell Jaystar!' Dovepaw mewed. 'And the rest of the clan, Lilypetal will be frantic!'

They headed toward Jaystars den.

'Jaystar!' Cinderpaw said, 'Jaystar Featherpaw is missing! She hasn´t been in her nest all night, and the last time we saw her was just before she left with Heathershine! She´s missing to!'

Jaystar looked concered.

'We have to sent search-patrols to find them she said carefully, but first we´ll have to tell the clan.'

'Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!'

Jaystars voice rang out through the clearing.

She saw her sleepy clanmates entering the clearing, they were clearly wondering why there was such an early clan meeting.

'Cats of Lionclan.' Jaystar said. 'Two of our cats are missing.'

There was an explosion of shocked mews.

'Who?' Asked Lightningwing. 'Which cats are missing?'

'Heathershine and Featherpaw, they clearly haven´t come back from the territory-exploring.' Replied Jaystar.

'My kit! My kit!' Lilypetal was frantic, just like Dovepaw had said.

'We _must_ find them!' Said Lionclaw, their father. 'I´ll lead the patrol myself! And I´ll come with you! Lilypetal mewed, I won´t give up, not until I´ve found her!'

'Okay.' Jaystar went on. 'Lionclaw, you´ll lead the patrol, Lilypetal, Stormshine, Oakleap and Cinderpaw will come with you.'

Me? Cinderpaw thought astonished. I´m going on a real warrior patrol! She felt excited, even though there was nothing to be excited about.

But then all her excitement drained away. Dovepaw wasn´t chosen for the patrol.

Come on, she said to her sister, you´ll be chosen another time. But it was to late, Dovepaw had seen the excited look on her face, and glared at her.

'Excited for the stupid rescue patrol?' Dovepaw sneered. Cinderpaw was shocked again. Usually Dovepaw was gentle, it was nothing for her to be cross, she must be _really _jealous.

'Hey!' Cinderpaw mewed. 'Don´t be jealous Dovepaw, we´ll just ask Jaystar if you can come too!'

But she realized she was talking to the air.

Dovepaw wasn't there anymore, and she wasn't in the clearing at all.

Dovepaw had gone to rescue Featherpaw on her own...


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Huh! Dovepaw thought. Let them go on a useless patrol, I´ll be the one who rescue's Featherpaw!

She had gone to rescue Featherpaw alone.

Almost immediatley she scented Featherpaw and Heathershine's scent.

The scent was a bit stale, but clearly from Featherpaw.

She started sniffing, it lead her towards the peace-place. But also towards the Tigerclan border.

Finally she came by a familiar stream: the shade-stream.

Clearly Heathershine had given Featherpaw information about the shade-stream.

The Dovepaw went on.

Now the scent lead to the Leopardclan border.

The scent of Featherpaw and Heathershine stopped, and there also was a Leopardclan scent.

What if- Dovepaw could hardly bring the thought into her mind- what if Featherpaw and Heathershine were _dead? _There was a Leopardclan scent, what if the Leopardclan cats had killed Featherpaw?

She shook the thought from her head. No, she just couldn´t believe that Featherpaw and Heathershine were dead.

She made up her mind.

She decided to go on, and look for Featherpaw and Heathershine on the Leopardclan side of the border.

And yes! When she got on the Leopardclan side, she clearly smelled Featherpaw and Heathershine.

But what worried her, was that the scents were mixed with the fishy scent of Leopardclan.

Oh no! What if they were captured, or even worse, what if the Leopardclan cats had taken Featherpaw and Heathershine to their camp, to kill them there?

Still, she went on.

Now there were scents of many, many cats, not just from Leopardclan, but also from Tigerclan and Jaguarclan. Some scents were staler than others, but still clearly there. Leopardclan held many, many prisoners, that's what Dovepaw thought. Featherpaw and Heathershine were prisoners of Leopardclan!

Now it was harder to detect Featherpaws scent, so she had to concentrate hard.

'Looking for some missing clanmates?' A voice popped up behind her.

Dovepaw spun around. 'Oh no!' There stood, right in front of her nose, a Leopardclan cat.

Dovepaw thought it was smartest to sound brave, so she tried to.

'Where is Featherpaw!' She demanded, her voice sounding much braver than she really was.

'Featherpaw? Who´s Featherpaw?' The young tom cat sneered.

Dovepaw was astonished, this cat sounded brave, but she saw fear in his eyes, and she knew he didn´t like doing this.

Reassured, Dovepaw went on: 'Featherpaw is my sister! Did you capture her and Heathershine, or did you kill them?'

'We didn´t kill them, of course, the warrior mutterd, half to himself.' Then he straightend himself, looking embarrassed.

'Whats your name?' He asked, I´m Fishleap. Fishleap... Did she recognize that name? No she didn´t.

'I'm Featherpaw.' she said.

'Okay.' Fishleap said.

He looked unsure of what to do now. 'I suppose I´ll have to make her a prisoner ...' he said to himself.

He went on, still talking to himself. 'But why should I? She has a good reason to be in our territory...

But I´ll get trouble with Thistlestar if I don´t. I´ll take her as a prisoner, then.'

'Oh no. she didn´t believe Fishleap was a bad cat, he was just a coward.' Fishleap took her to the prisoners place, where Dovepaw did see the thing she was looking for: Featherpaw ...


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Dovepaw? Oh no! What was her sister doing here?

That was the first thought Featherpaw had when she saw her sister at the edge of the prisoners place.

'Dovepaw!' Featherpaw mewed in alarm. 'What are you doing here?'

'Hi Featherpaw.' Dovepaw mewed tiredly. 'I came to look for you, but they captured me.'

'Stupid furball.' Featherpaw mewed affectoinally, she couldn´t help feeling relieved at seeing her sister again.

'Well, I´ll introduce you to the other cats, since you´re here.' Featherpaw said to her sister.

I'll first take her to meet Cedarpaw, she decided. She liked Cedarpaw, she liked all the cats here, but she liked Cedarpaw more than the others, there was a special bond between them.

'Hi Cedarpaw! This is my littermate, Dovepaw, she has been captured, trying to rescue me.'

'Hello, Dovepaw.' Cedarpaw said, looking at the apprentice with intrest.

'Hi.' Dovepaw mewed shyly. Dovepaw was always shy when she met new cats.

Cedarpaw went on. 'Did you really try to rescue Featherpaw?' He asked. 'I would have been way to scared.' There was a glow of admiaration in his eyes that Featherpaw didn´t like.

Dovepaw clearly didn´t know what to say, she was very shy.

'Dovepaw, hurry up I´ll take you to meet the other apprentices.' Featherpaw sounded more cross than she had meant to be.

'I'll come with you.' Cedarpaw offered.

For some reason, Featherpaw didn´t like the idea of Cedarpaw being with Dovepaw, so she said: 'No thank you, Cedarpaw, I can introduce her on my own.'

She and Dovepaw left Cedarpaw, who was looking quite hurt.

'This is Harepaw.' Featherpaw mewed to her sister. 'He's from Jaguarclan, and this is his clanmate Flypaw.' She went on. 'Harepaw, Flypaw, this is my sister Dovepaw.'

'Hi Dovepaw!' they both mewed. Dovepaw just said a shy "hi".

They were interrupted by Briarstrike yowling: 'Leopardclan cats coming, Leopardclan cats coming!'

'Oh no!' Featherpaw looked around alarmed, then she saw three Leopardclan cats standing at the edge of the prisoners place, she didn't know the three cats.

'Be quiet, you stupid furballs!' One of the cats mewed.

'Otherwise Thistlestar will find us, and then you won´t have any prey!'

Prey? Why are they going to feed us prey? The´re from Leopardclan? All these thoughts rushed through Featherpaw´s head.

'We're from Leopardclan, as you probably can smell, a gray she cat said, but we´re not on Thistlestars side.'

'We don't think you deserve to be prisoners, so we're giving you prey, and we'll help you escape, if... you help us drive Thistlestar out of this clan.'

Featherpaws paws tingeld with excitement, maybe there was a chance of escaping ...

'By the way, white tom with gary stripes added, I´m Hailfall, this is Mistwing.' he said pointing with his tail toward the gray she-cat. 'And this is Silverpool.' he said, pointing to an almost silver she-cat.

'First we´ll give you prey.' Silverpool said. 'And then we'll start making plans for the escape and driving Thistlestar out.'

'Thats going to be great!' Dovepaw mewed in her ear.

Featherpaw agreed with Dovepaw. Maybe there was a chance of escaping.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

How could Dovepaw ever be _so _stupid?

Cinderpaw understood that she wanted to help Featherpaw, wherever she was, but going out alone?

No, Cinderpaw would have _never _done that!

She went to her father Lionclaw, who was leading the rescue patrol. 'Lionclaw, Lionclaw!' She called.

'Yes, what is it?' Lionclaw replied.

'Dovepaw has gone out on her own to rescue Featherpaw!' Cinderpaw told her father.

But to her astonishment, her father didn´t seem worried, but angry. 'We'll catch up with her alright.' he mewed. 'But it was stupid of her to do. She will have to be punished.'

What? Oh no! Thought Cinderpaw. She didn't want to bring her sister into problems! Now Dovepaw would be even angrier with her!

At last, she sighed. 'Can we go now?' She asked. 'Okay.' Lionclaw replied. 'I'll call the patrol together.'

As they headed through the bushy tunnel, Cinderpaw immediatley detected Dovepaw's scent, and under Dovepaw's scent there was a staler scent, but clearly Featherpaw's.

'She went this way!' She called out excitedly, and they followed their scents.

First the scents headed the shade-stream, past the shade giving trees.

'It goes this way!' Lilypetal called out to the patrol. 'To the Leopardclan border!'

'The Leopardclan border?' Cinderpaw had almost never been there, when she had been exploring the territory she had been bone tired, she had woken early then because Dovepaw had fallen on her, while restling with Featherpaw.

Cinderpaw felt a wave of sadness falling through her body, those were bittersweet memories, if she never saw Dovepaw and Featherpaw aigain?

They when they arrived at the stream by the Leopardclan border, Cinderpaw could still smell Dovepaw and Featherpaw´s scents.

Then Lilypetal let out a heartbreaking wail. 'Their scents have stopped! Some Leopardclan cats must have killed them!'

No! Cinderpaw almost let out a wail too, but then she decided that it wouldn't help.

'Are you sure?' She asked, she actually couldn't believe it.

'Smell it yourself.' Oakleap said. She smelled. And indeed, their scents had stopped.

Cinderpaw hung down her head. How could she go on with her life like this?

She didn't know. Maybe it was best if she died too. But she knew that wouldn't help the clan, so she had to find a way to go on.

They headed back to camp, their heads down.

Then she had an idea. There hadn't been any blood, so what if... No, she couldn't raise her hope, only to be dissapointed again. They had probably drowned in the river.

When they arrived at the camp, saw the clan sitting in the clearing, half asleep, but not going in to their dens because they wanted to hear the news of Featherpaw, Dovepaw and Heathershine.

Though all her instincts where to go to her den, she followed Lionclaw, Lilypetal, Oakleap and Stormshine into Jaystar's den.

'They are dead.' Lionclaw said sadly. 'We followed them to the Leopardclan border, there was no blood, but their scents stopped, so they probably drowned in the river.'

'No!' Jaystar said sadly. 'There has been so much blood spilled the last few moons! We have hardly any warriors left!'

This all didn't matter to Cinderpaw at the moment.

Dovepaw and Featherpaw where dead.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

'Oof!' A great big lump landed on top of Dovepaw: Cedarpaw.

'Got ya!' Cedarpaw yowled triumphantly. Dovepaw groaned, she had some bruises because of the fight in the stony prisoners place. When the Leopardclan cats had come, they had insisted on training to drive out Thistlestar, even though the training was hard in the prisoners place.

'I didn't hurt you, didn't I?' Cedarpaw sounded concered. Dovepaw liked the idea of Cedarpaw being concered about her. She knew Featherpaw didn't like her being with Cedarpaw all the time. She had asked Dovepaw to come over and train with her, but Cedarpaw had asked Dovepaw too. And Dovepaw had chosen for Cedarpaw.

'Dovepaw?' Cedarpaw sounded very concered now.

'No I'm okay.' She mewed, 'I don't like these circumstances, that's all.'

Cedarpaw purred. 'I know!' He said. 'In Tigerclan territory training is much more fun.'

Dovepaw felt hurt. Did Cedarpaw mean that he didn't like training with her?

Cedarpaw seemed to read her thoughts, or at least seen the expression on her face. 'I don't mean that I don't like training with you, he explained quickly. It's just as you said, you know, the circumstances.'

Dovepaw felt relieved.

I really wish you where in my clan. Cedarpaw mewed. Dovepaw studied his gaze. She was shocked when she saw that he looked serious. 'Did he really mean that?'

Cedarpaw kept on looking at her, his gaze still serious. Dovepaw sought for her own meaning.

Yes, she thought, it would be fun to be in the same clan as Cedarpaw.

'Yeah.' Dovepaw said. 'That would be really fun.' Cedarpaw looked relieved, his gaze softening.

Why did he have to look at her like that?

'Come on!' Cedarpaw said lets go and see how Featherpaw is doing!

Featherpaw? Was Cedarpaw more interested in Featherpaw than in her?

'Wait!' She said, she felt shocked as she heard the sharpness in her voice.

Cedarpaw looked quite hurt. 'I'm sorry.' She apoligized quickly. 'I didn't mean to sound so sharp.'

Cedarpaw looked relieved.

'Do you like Featherpaw?' She asked. 'Are you good friends?'

'Well, yes.' Cedarpaw admitted, 'we're pretty good friends.'

Dovepaw tried to look hurt, and she was pleased with herself when she noticed that she had succeded.

'Oh, I like you better.' He said. 'We're just friends.'

'Okay.' Dovepaw felt relieved. She didn't know why, but she didn't like the idea of Cedarpaw liking Featherpaw better than her.

'So you care?' Cedarpaw prompted. 'You don't like the idea of me liking Featherpaw?'

Dovepaw bent her head shyly. 'Well I suppose so, yes.' She murmerd.

Cedarpaw looked excited. 'Do you care about me?' He asked.

Why did he have to ask her? 'Yeah, I do.' Dovepaw sounded much surer of herself than she really felt.

Cedarpaw looked as if he was about to burst with excitement now. 'Do you care more than that?' He asked softly. 'Do you care more about me than if we where just friends?'

Dovepaw sought in her heart for her answer. She found it.

'Yes!' She said. She was confident now.

'So we are actually _more _than friends now?' She asked.

'Yes.' Cedarpaw answered. 'At least if you want to.'

'Of course I want to!' Dovepaw felt excited now. She and Cedarpaw where more than friends.

And Cedarpaw liked her more than Featherpaw.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

'Humph!' Let Dovepaw and Cedarpaw train together! Featherpaw thought.

At least I'm loyal to the clan!

She went over to Heathershine. 'Shall we train together?' She asked her mentor.

Featherpaw's heart sank as she heard Heathershine´s answer.

'I'm sorry.' Heathershine really sounded sorry. At least more sorry than Dovepaw had sounded when she had said that she was going to train with Cedarpaw.

Heathershine went on. 'I promised Briarstrike that I would train with her.'

Okay. Featherpaw tried to hide her dissapointment that no one of her clan wanted to train with her.

'Hey, Featherpaw!' Featherpaw turned around as she heard someone calling her name.

She saw Flypaw runnung toward her.

'Do you want to train with me?' The mouse-brown she cat asked her.

'Aren't you going with Harepaw?' She asked. She knew that Harepaw was Flypaw's denmate and friend. 'No.' Said Flypaw. 'Harepaw is going to train with his mentor, Blossomheart.'

'Okay.' Said Featherpaw. She was pleased that she could train with an apprentice, even though Flypaw was from another clan.

While she was thinking, she felt something jump on her back: Flypaw. Featherpaw instantly let out a battle cry, and threw Flypaw of her. They scuffeled around the clearing, and finally Flypaw won.

Have you ever even had battle training? Flypaw taunted her, but she saw affection in her eyes.

Featherpaw relized that she had _never _had battle training before this, so it was obvious that Flypaw would win, he had been an apprentice longer than her.

'No.' Featherpaw admitted, 'I just began my apprenticeship, they caught me when I was out of camp for the first time.'

Flypaw looked at her symphatetically. 'It must be a horrible expirence to be captured when you´re out of camp for the first time!'

Featherpaw looked down at her paws. She was slightly embarrassed, but she didn't know why.

Lets have another fight she said, wanting to change the subject. She was relieved when Flypaw seemed to understand her.

This time it was Featherpaw who jumped first, but Flypaw still won.

The third time Featherpaw thought she had won, because Flypaw was lying on the ground. But it was the old death-trick that she had heard her denmates tell her about, and Flypaw had won with an easy stab at her with her paw.

But the fourth time Featherpaw won. Featherpaw had used the same death-trick as Flypaw had done the fight before.

'Well done!' Flypaw praised her. 'I wouldn't want to meet you in battle!'

'Me neither!' Featherpaw mewed. Then she realized that one day, and e day, probably, she would indeed meet Flypaw and Harepaw in battle, or Cedarpaw. She would have to fight against friends, and she knew what Heathershine meant about not having a to close friendship.

'I think it's enough training now.' Flypaw interrupted her thoughts. Featherpaw just nodded, and she spotted Cedarpaw and Dovepaw talking erneastly toghether and looking at her.

When Dovepaw spotted her looking at them, they walked towards her.

Their fur almost touched, and there was something like closeness in their eyes.

'What is it?' Featherpaw asked. 'Why are you two always together?'

But she already knew the answer: Cedarpaw was Dovepaw´s friend now, and not hers.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Cinderpaw woke up. She didn't feel well at all. She wanted nothing except Dovepaw and Featherpaw.

Cinderpaw went back to sleep.

She had an awesome dream. She was catching this awesome big mouse, until her catch was disturbed, by Dovepaw and Featherpaw. She was so happy to see them! But then something prodded her. Ouch! She didn´t want to wake up! Ouch! It prodded her again. It was probably Oakleap, wanting to go training with her. But she didn't feel like training, so she pretended to still be asleep. Ouch! She almost cried it out. Oakleap let out a final sigh, and he gave it up. As Oakleap left the den, Cinderpaw fell asleep again. This time there wasn't a tasty mouse, just a slightly familiar she-cat, but she had forgotten what her name was.

'Hello, Cinderpaw.' The she-cat said. 'Follow me.' 'Wait!' Cinderpaw called out. 'Am I dreaming? Who are you? Where are we going?' The she-cat aswered all her questions easliy. 'Don't you remember me, Cinderpaw?' She said. 'I am Sandwing, I died in a fight with Leopardclan, when you where just a kit.'

'Sandwing?' Did she remember that name? Yes! She thought. When she was a tiny kit, Featherpaw had dared her and Dovepaw, Dovekit then, to go and explore the warriors den. She had thought it was an awesome idea, but Dovepaw had hesitated, then she and Featherpaw, who then was still Featherkit, had started saying that she was a coward, and that they where much braver than Dovekit. So not wanting to be left out, Dovekit had gone with them. Then they had met Sandwing, she realized it had been the day before the battle with Leopardclan, so the day before Sandwing's death. So when they were in the warriors den, Sandwing had been in there, and had scolded them gently, and told them to get out of the warriors den. Dovekit had got scared, and started scuffling all around the den, she was so frightend that she had messed up the whole den, and had gotten in to trouble. Wich hadn't been Dovekit's fault at all.

Sandwing went on. 'Yes, of course you are dreaming.' She said gently. 'Or I wouldn't be here now.'

'As for the last question, you'll see where we're going. You'll just have to follow me.'

They went to the Leopardclan border. She realized that this was the way Dovepaw and Featherpaw went. 'This is the way - 'I know.' Sandwing interrupted her. 'This is the way Dovepaw and Featherpaw went, but our journey is not quite finished yet.'

Sandwing went across the Leopardclan border. Cinderpaw hesitated. 'Won't a patrol catch us?' She asked, after all, we are on enemy territory.

But Sandwing didn't look worried at all. 'This is a dream, remember?' She said. 'They won't catch us, now just keep going.'

They went to a place she didn't know, clearly on Leopardclan territory, but there where scents of cats of many different clans. 'Why are-' again Sandwing interrupted her question. 'Look inside.' She prompted.

Cinderpaw looked inside. She saw many, many cats, and she saw three familiar ones, and with a jolt she relized that it where Dovepaw, Featherpaw and Heathershine. 'Thats, Thats -' 'I know!' Sandwing said. 'Leopardclan has captured them! Are we going to take them home, _now_?' Cinderpaw asked, unable to suspress her excitement. Sandwing looked at her sympathetically. 'No.' she said her eyes looking sad. 'This is a dream. But when you're awake, you can send a patrol to go and rescue them.'

'Okay!' Dovepaw and Featherpaw weren't dead! And they where going to rescue them!

'Can I wake up?' Cinderpaw asked. 'Can I wake up _now_?' But Sandwing had already dissapeared, and Cinderpaw woke up.

She then walked to the clearing, and went immediately to Jaystar's den.

Now she was quite nervous, she had never been in Jaystar's den alone, without any warrior before.

'Jaystar?' She called. 'What is it?' Jaystar called. Cinderpaw took a deap breath.

It would be hard to beat Leopardclan, but she had to do it, for the sake of Featherpaw and Dovepaw.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Dovepaw woke up.

She was embarrassed, when she realized that she was the last one to wake.

She looked around the prisoner clearing for Cedarpaw or her sister, but she couldn't see either of them. Where were they? She looked around for more familiar cats, and she saw Heathershine chatting with some other warriors whose names she had forgotten. As she walked over to them she realized that this would have been a wonderful day to go out training, she had never gone training before, except the time with Cedarpaw. She even hardly really _knew_ her mentor Tigerstripe.

'Have you seen Cedarpaw?' She asked Heathershine as she reached her.

'No.' Heathershine said. She hesitated as she looked around the clearing. 'Is he gone, then?' Heathershine asked. 'Yes! Well... I haven't seen him this morning.' Dovepaw said. 'I'll just go and chat with Featherpaw, then.'

She almost immediatley spotted Featherpaw, sitting on a shady spot, at the end of the clearing.

'Hi, Featherpaw.' she mewed, trying to sound cheerfull. Dovepaw looked nervously at Featherpaw, she didn't know how she would react, Featherpaw had been angry with her and Cedarpaw last night.

She almost immediatley knew that she had been wrong to think that Featherpaw wouldn't be angry anymore.

'So, are you not with the wonderful Cedarpaw?' She asked crossly. 'After all, you two are best friends now, or maybe even more?' Featherpaw asked mockingly. 'I just wanted to talk with you.' Dovepaw said sounding hurt. 'But if you don't want to, you might as well tell me where Cedarpaw is.'

'So, he's gone then?' Featherpaw asked, sounding a little more interested. 'He probably didn't want to fight so he hid himself, or he found an escaping way, but was to selfish to tell us about it.'

Would he really have done that? Dovepaw asked herself, would Cedarpaw really escape without telling us about it? Featherpaw interrupted her thoughts. 'Now go away from me!' She cried. 'I'm glad it's you who came, and not Cinderpaw, but only because I wouldn't wish this to any nice cat!'

Dovepaw felt sad and hurt while she walked away, Featherpaw didn't want to be her sister anymore, Featherpaw was _really_ angry with her, and Cinderpaw wasn't here either, and if Cinderpaw would be here, she would probably be angry with Dovepaw too, because Dovepaw had disobeyed orders.

'Dovepaw!' Dovepaw looked up, and to her surprise, she saw that Cedarpaw was walking toward her.

'Cedarpaw!' She said, now she was happy again. Cedarpaw hadn't left without her.

'Where were you?' She asked Cedarpaw. Cedarpaw hesitated. 'I was taken away by some Leopardclan cats.' he said quickly. Dovepaw felt her eyes turn wide. 'What did they want?' She asked.

'They wanted me to tell the secrets of Tigerclan.' he said. 'Really?' Dovepaw asked, and then she added, 'But of course you didn't tell them, did you?'

'Of course I didn't.' Cedarpaw boasted. 'I did have to fight some of them, but I won.' He showed her a weird looking, huge scar. 'Wow.' she breathed. 'Does it hurt?' She asked, sounding worried. 'N-no, it doesn't.' Cedarpaw said. 'I've had much bigger scars, with other fights.'

Dovepaw felt worried by the guilty look in his eyes.

'Come on.' Cedarpaw said, quickly changing the subject, lets go and see what the other cats are doing.

Not waiting for an answer, Cedarpaw walked away, and Dovepaw followed him.

They walked through a great hustle of cats, and sometimes she lost sight of Cedarpaw.

'Hi Dovepaw!' Harepaw was walking toward her. 'How are you?' He went on. 'I heard that you've had a quarrel with Featherpaw.' he said, purring amused. 'Yes.' She answered quickly. 'I'm looking for someone, so good bye!' She then looked around the clearing for Cedarpaw, and to great horror, she couldn't see him. Cedarpaw had vanished again.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Psaw! Dovepaw was _so _stupid! How could she ever think that Featherpaw would forgive her over the night? She didn't have pity for Dovepaw at all.

She saw Dovepaw walking away, her tail drooping. She didn't care about Dovepaw anymore. Dovepaw needed some sadness in her life. She needed to know how real sadness felt, not just the kind of being dissapointed about missing a huge plumb mouse, or something like that.

And she didn't trust Cedarpaw. She had lied to Dovepaw that she hadn´t seen Cedarpaw. She _had_ seen Cedarpaw at dawn, she had seen him leaving the prinsoners place. She just didn't know where he had gone. Dovepaw had obviously been to lazy to see him leave.

She went to the secret prey-pile, under the bush where the bad Leopardclan cats couldn't find it.

To her great dissapointment, there was only a wet slippery fish left, she hated fish, and she was glad that she wasn't a Leopardclan cat.

She decided that she'd rather eat nothing than eat fish, so she went to look for the Jaguarclan apprentices.

She saw that they where with their warrior clanmates, she was still a bit scared of the warriors from other clans, so she went back to her shady spot.

She looked around the clearing, and she saw that Dovepaw had found Cedarpaw, _no, _she corrected herself, Cedarpaw had come back. She saw the two cats talking, and Cedarpaw looked guilty.

She decided to hide behind a stone, close to where Dovepaw and Cedarpaw where talking.

'They took me away!' She heard Cedarpaw say. 'They wanted me to tell them the secrets of Tigerclan.'

She heard Dovepaw gasp. 'You didn't do that, did you?'

'Of course not.' Cedarpaw boasted. 'I had to fight them though.' Featherpaw saw Dovepaw's eyes turn glow with admiaration. 'Wow! And you even won!'

Featherpaw didn't want to hear the rest of the convasation. Cedarpaw was a liar. Cedarpaw hadn't been taken out of the camp by Leopardclan-cats. She had seen him leaving the camp by himself.

She saw Cedarpaw showing Dovepaw a very fake looking scar.

Dovepaw was so stupid. The guilt on Cedarpaw's face was _so _obvious, and the that fake scar...

Dovepaw and Cedarpaw walked away. They walked through the great hustle of cats.

She lost sight of them.

Then she saw Cedarpaw pass the guards at the gave entrance. These where some of the bad Leopardclan cats, but they let Cedarpaw pass, they even gave him a friendly greeting.

Featherpaw felt _very _curious now. She decided that she was going to follow Cedarpaw.

She got past the guards easily, they where so stupid. She only had to say that she was on their side, and that she was Cedarpaw´s friend.

She could easily pick up Cedarpaw´s scent, Tigerclan among Leopardclan.

To her great surprise, she saw Cedarpaw talking to some Leopardclan-cats.

'What will you give us in exchange?' She heard some of the Leopardclan-cats said.

'Two cats from Lionclan.' Cedarpaw said. 'After all, it would be fair if you let two cats escape.'

Two cats from Lionclan? Featherpaw´s mind was racing. That was her clan!

Was Cedarpaw going to give Leopardclan Lionclan cats? In exchange for what?

Maybe in exchange for letting Cedarpaw escape. For letting two cats escape?

Which other cat?

Maybe Dovepaw? But Featherpaw knew that Dovepaw would_ never _leave her and the other cats alone.

But she did know one thing.

Cedarpaw could not be trusted.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

'Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!'

Cinderpaw heard Jaystar's strong confident mew ringing through the clearing. She had just told her leader about Featherpaw had just told her about her dream.

She saw the cats emerging into the clearing. Jaystar didn't wait until they had settled.

I have good and bad news she said. I will begin with the good.

Jaystar took a deep breath … 'Dovepaw, Featherpaw and Heathershine are still alive!' She yowled.

The whole clearing exploded ...

Lilypetal and Lionclaw looked happier than Cinderpaw had ever saw them.

Then she heard Stormshine yowl through the clearing: 'Where are they then?' He asked Jaystar. 'Don't try to tell me that they have gone on a very long patrol, I won't believe you!'

Jaystar took a deep breath again. 'That's the bad news,' she said. 'They have been captured by Leopardclan cats. Cinderpaw had a dream from Sandwing, who we also have lost because Thistlestar, Leopardclan's vicious leader.'

The whole clearing exploded again, but this time with angry, wailing and worried yowls.

Lilypetal and Lionclan looked worried again.

Jaystar silenced the clan with a quick swipe of her tail. 'We shall lounge an attack on Leopardclan.' She said. 'Tonight!'

Tigerstripe can arrange that patrols. 'Tigerstripe.' she addressed her deputy. 'Take a strong patrol with you to fight, but also leave some warriors to guard the camp.' Tigerstripe nodded in agreement, looking quite worried. Tigerstripe was Dovepaw's mentor, she remembered.

Jaystar left the Highrock, into her den.

Cinderpaw went to the fresh-kill pile, choosing a nice plumb mouse for the elders.

When she had finished bringing the mouse, she went to see Tigerstripe, who was arranging the patrols.

'The cats who will go on patrol with me tonight are: Lionclaw, Lilypetal, Oakleap, Thunderstrike, Stromshine, Stonepaw and Cinderpaw.' Tigerstripe rested his gaze on her. 'Cinderpaw, you barely have had training, but I understand that you want to fight for your sisters. Please be careful.'

Cinderpaw gave him a nod. But Tigerstripe looked as if he wasn't finished.

'You can go and hunt for the elders now.' He said. 'Take Mousepaw with you.'

Cinderpaw went to look for Mousepaw, and found her in a patch of sunlight. 'Wanna go hunting?' She asked. Mousepaw looked up. 'Okay.' Mousepaw said, while she was rising to her feet.

Cinderpaw was stalking a mouse, a very plump and tasty looking one. She looked around, and she saw Mousepaw stalking a bird a few tail-lengths away from her.

She concentrated hard, trying to make no sound at all.

She was close to the Leopardclan border now. She heard paw steps behind her, clearly the mouse too, because it looked up and ran away quickly. Cinderpaw looked around, silently cursing whoever had scared her catch of the day away.

She saw a black friendly looking cat, with dark brown stripes and amber eyes, with Tigerclan-scent, on her side of the border!

'Hi, I'm Cedarpaw.' the cat said quickly. 'You're from Lionclan, right?' Cinderpaw nodded. Cedarpaw went on. 'I need you two to come with me, quickly.' He said. Cinderpaw looked at Mousepaw. Mousepaw just shrugged. They finally followed him into the bushes.

Suddenly, there were lots of cats standing around her. And she instantly knew that this was a trap.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Where was Cedarpaw? Dovepaw didn't know why Cedarpaw vanished al the time.

She went back to her den. Whatever was troubling Cedarpaw, he could tell her. She had seen the look of guilt in his eyes, and she knew he was lying.

A little while later, Cedarpaw came back looking excited.

'Dovepaw!' He walked towards her, his eyes shining. 'I have found a way to escape! Come with me, quickly!'

Dovepaw followed him, wondering what it would be.

Cedarpaw went towards the entrance. The entrance? She thought, the guards would _never _let them through.

Still, she followed Cedarpaw. Cedarpaw said a few quick things to the guards, and the guards let them through.

The guards let her through too, giving her a cold look.

She tried to identify the guards.

A she-cat, a tom and an apprentice. She couldn't recognize the she-cat, but the tom was Birchpelt, and the apprentice was Skypaw.

She hurried away, wanting to escape from the presence of the cats.

It was nice, warm weather, an awesome day to go out training. Soon she would be training again, with Tigerstripe, she realized.

She found Cedarpaw waiting for her, beside a stream, his eyes glowing.

'Come on Dovepaw!' He said. 'Lets go this way!' Dovepaw was about to protest, It wasn't the quickest way to the border, but Cedarpaw probably wanted to be with her a little longer.

When they were at the border, she realized that she would never be with Cedarpaw anymore, they were in differentclans. She looked at Cedarpaw, and she realized that he was thinking the same.

'Tonight.' Cedarpaw said. 'Meet me tonight, at the Lion and Tigerclan border.'

Dovepaw nodded in agreement. She would still be seeing Cedarpaw!

'We must part now.' Cedarpaw said, looking sad. Dovepaw knew he was right, but her heart was aching.

'Bye bye, Cedarpaw.' She said quietly. 'Good-bye, Dovepaw.' Cedarpaw replied. He brushed his tail across her flank, and gave her a long look, and he vanished behind the bushes.

Dovepaw headed back to the camp.

She ran through the bushes, getting _really _excited now. She scented Lionclan-cats again! All those familiar scents!

She headed through the bramble-tunnel now, the entrance of the well sheltered camp.

Stonepaw was the first to spot her.

'Dovepaw! He said, you came back! How did you escape?' Dovepaw didn't try to answer. All the cats had heard Stonepaw's yell. They all emerged from their dens, or whatever else they were doing.

Lilypetal walked straight toward her, covering her with licks.

Lionclaw walked toward her to, slowly, but looking equally happy.

Tigerstripe was there too, he was her mentor after all.

All the warriors, apprentices and kits were there, asking her questions she couldn't answer, welcoming her back into the camp.

Jaystar was there to, giving her a welcoming purr.

But then something terrible happened.

Stormshine suddenly came running into the camp, and said: 'Cinderpaw and Mousepaw have vanished!'


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

'Dovepaw! Dovepaw!' Featherpaw emerged into the clearing.

She looked around. She saw cats of all clans train together, with the same determination in their eyes. They had turned one, united against their enemy: Thistlestar and his followers.

But her sister was not among the training cats. She wanted to tell Dovepaw that Cedarpaw could not be trusted, and that she was sorry for saying all those horrible things to her.

She looked around the clearing again. Now real fear gripped her belly. What had Cedarpaw done with her sister?

Cedarpaw had been talking about Tigerclan cats, to the Leopardclan ones. He had said that he would _give _them two cats in exchange for something. In exchange for what?

A horrible thought came through he head. What if Cedarpaw had given Dovepaw to the Leopardclan-cats, what if Cedarpaw had let them _kill_ her, in exchange for letting him escape?

No. That could not be true. Dovepaw couldn't be dead. At least, she admitted it to herself, she couldn't believe that Dovepaw was dead.

She went to look for Heathershine. And she found Heathershine, eating a mouse near the secret fresh-kill pile.

'Hi.' Heathershine said as she saw Featherpaw approching.

'Whats wrong?' Heathershine asked her, probably her eyes where betraying her feelings.

'Dovepaw is gone.' Featherpaw said. Heathershine pricked her ears, looking more interested now.

Featherpaw knew that she had tell Heathershine the whole story now.

While she was talking, Heathershine didn't interrupt her. The only sign that she was listening was that she sometimes looked surprised, and that her eyes and ears were following everything that Featherpaw was telling her.

When Featherpaw was finished, Heathershine let out a long, heavy and exhausted sigh.

'So Cedarpaw has betrayed us.' Heathershine murmered, more to herself than to Featherpaw.

'What can we do?' Heathershine spoke directly to Featherpaw now. Featherpaw was surprised, but felt honored too. Warriors usually didn't ask their apprentices for advice.

Heathershine looked surprised with herself too. She gave herself a little shake.

Featherpaw realized that she was looking thin and gaunt. Although the good Leopardclan-cats had been so kind to catch some prey for them, it had not been enough to feed them properly, they had to feed their own clan first, even though it was Thistlestar who led it.

All the cats looked the same. They were skinny and exausted, by the training.

There came a rush of wind through the clearing.

She smelled Leopardclan.

And a familiar scent, a Lionclan scent... but she must be mistaken, she could only see Leopardclan.

With a jolt of relief, she realized that these cats where the good Leopardclan cats.

She reconized Hailfall, Fishleap and Mistwing.

Hailfall's yowl went htrough the clearing. 'We are going to attack, tonight!'

She heard an excited ripple come through the clearing. She herself, was excited too.

Mistwing took over now. 'You have all trained well.' She said. Hailfall nodded in agreement.

'We must all have courage, and we must fight well. Then our plan might work.'

Now Fishleap raised his voice. 'But there also is some bad news.' He said.

'Two other cats have been captured.'

A very familiar light brown-gray striped pelt appeared.

With a jolt of horror, Featherpaw reconized the cat.

The newly arrived cat was her sister, Cinderpaw, with her denmate, Mousepaw.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Featherpaw? They had taken her to Featherpaw! Her first feeling was joy, joy of seeing her sister again.

But she suddenly felt quite ashamed of herself. She was happy to see her sister here! Here, in this horrible place! She looked around the clearing for Dovepaw. Where was Dovepaw? She felt terrified, when she couldn't see her sister. Had these horrible cats killed Dovepaw?

The Leopardclan cats left. She liked these cats. They had taken her over from the bad ones, and had apoligized.

Cinderpaw walked over to Featherpaw.

She was surprised when she saw that Featherpaw had a look of horror on her face at seeing her. Was her sister angry at her.

Featherpaw seemed to read Cinderpaw's thoughts.

'Oh, I'm not angry at you!' She exclaimed. 'It's just that I'm angry at those Leopardclan cats, for bringing you here!'

Cinderpaw felt relieved.

Then her thoughts surged back to her other sister, Dovepaw.

'Featherpaw ...' She asked her sister, afraid of the answer. 'Featherpaw, where is Dovepaw?'

Featherpaw took a deap breath. 'Dovepaw has vanished.' she said. 'I think Cedarpaw has taken her away with him, to escape from this horrible place!' Featherpaw's voice grew slow and sad.

'What!' Cinderpaw sounded harsh. 'Cedarpaw? Is Cedarpaw the black cat with dark brown stripes?' Featherpaw nodded, and than added suspiciously. 'How come you know Cedarpaw?'

Cinderpaw explained. 'He can not be trusted. He seemed really nice when Mousepaw and I met him, but he send us into a trap, on the Leopardclan side of the border. I don't know why he did it!' Her voice grew high with dispair. 'He's from Tigerclan!'

She saw Featherpaw sigh. 'I overheard him talking to a few Leopardclan cats, about himself and another cat escaping. They let him escape in exchange for two Lionclan cats... Those cats must be you and Mousepaw!'

Cinderpaw nodded. She felt quite surprised, but she didn't show it.

She had one more question. 'But why did he take Dovepaw with him?' She asked her sister.

Featherpaw shrugged. 'I suspect they were in love with eachother.' She said. 'They were always together, very close together.'

Cinderpaw felt shocked. What had happened to her sisters when she was away from them?

With a little jolt of surprise, she saw some hurt in Featherpaw's eyes, as she told her about Dovepaw being with Cedarpaw.

'Did you like Cedarpaw too?' She aked her sister.

Featherpaw shrugged. 'Before Dovepaw came, me and Cedarpaw were friends. We weren't in love with eachother, or anything like that.' Featherpaw said quickly. 'We were just friends.' But then Dovepaw came. Featherpaw's voice turned bitter.'

'And Cedarpaw started to spend all his time with Dovepaw, and we weren't friends anymore. I'm glad of it now.' She said. 'I don't want to be friends with a traitor!'

Cinderpaw nodded. She understood now.

'And... Featherpaw's look suddenly turned to excitement. We, and the good Leopardclan-cats, are going to attack Thistlestar and his followers, tonight!'

Cinderpaw gasped.

Her sister looked at her, she opened her mouth to ask a question.

Cinderpaw took a very deep, excited breath. 'Lionclan is going to attack Leopardclan too! Tonight!'


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Cinderpaw! Cinderpaw? Her sister had vanished!

Was she captured by Leopardclan, too? She didn't want it to be so.

Again she felt the familiar stab of guilt. Shouldn't she have told the other prisoners how they could escape so easily? She had been to much in a hurry, she realized.

But then again, she felt the excited tingle in her feet. She was going to meet Cedarpaw tonight!

She comforted herself by thinking of his amber gaze. He trusted her, and she trusted him. There had _never _been a cat that she had trusted as much as Cedarpaw, even though he was from another clan.

'Dovepaw?' Tigerstripe growled. 'Dovepaw you're daydreaming. 'Wake up!' He prodded her with a paw. Dovepaw gasped. 'Sorry!' She said. 'I, I'm just a bit tired of being captured.' With a surge of relief, she saw Tigerstripe's gaze turn gentle. 'I can understand that.' he said. 'But we must go on and train a bit, or you can't survive the fight with Leopardclan tonight!'

'Leopardclan?' She asked Tigerstripe. 'What's all this about a fight with Leopardclan?'

'We're going to attack Leopardclan tonight.' Tigerstripe explained. 'To free all the captured cats.'

'Tonight?' Dovepaw asked. 'She didn't wait for an answer. 'Tonight the prisoners and the good Leopardclan cats are going to attack Thistlestar and his followers!' She exclaimed. 'This´ll just be _great!'_

Tigerstripe looked surprised. 'Were you prisoners really planning to fight Leopardclan?' He asked. 'It's good that Cinderpaw had that dream of where you were, or you´d have to fight alone, and you'd all get killed, looking at the state you are in!'

Dovepaw looked at herself. She did look skinny, much skinnier that the other Lionclan cats. Although some Leopardclan cats had been so kind to give them some prey, it had clearly not been enough.

Tigerstripe woke her from her thoughts again.

'Lets go on and train, or we'll be standing here all day.' They headed towards the training-clearing.

It was dark outside.

Dovepaw was racing towards the Tiger and Lionclan border, to meet Cedarpaw.

'Cedarpaw! Cedarpaw!' She called as she was nearing the spot.

With a jolt of relief, she saw that Cedarpaw was already waiting for her. He hadn't forgotten her!

'Dovepaw!' Cedarpaw raced toward her. 'You haven't forgotten me.'

How could I forget you? Dovepaw answered.

'You'll have to be more quiet, though.' Cedarpaw warned her. 'Or they'll instantly spot us, judging the racket you're making!'  
'Okay, Cedarpaw.' Dovepaw answered.

Cedarpaw sat up proudly. 'It's not Cedarpaw anymore.' He said. 'It's Cedartail now!'

Dovepaw felt surprised. Cedartail had been made a warrior! 'Congratulations!' She purred to Cedartail.

'I've been made a warrior just when I came back, because we escaped!'

Dovepaw nodded, seeing that Cedartail wasn't finished yet.

'Dovepaw, lets not talk about our clans now.' Cedartail said. 'Lets just have fun.'

Dovepaw nodded again. She agreed with Cedartail.

Cedartail sat down next to her. He slowly wound his tail around hers. Dovepaw let him do this.

Their fur brushed, she breathed in Cedartail's warm scent. At the moment, she felt much closer to Cedartail than with any other cat in her clan.

'I wonder how the battle against Leopardclan is going.' Cedartail said.

Dovepaw realized that she had been chosen for the battle-patrol, who were probably fighting. Now. Without her. She had totally forgotten.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Featherpaw pounced on Skypaw. She would _never _forgive this apprentice, who had helped Birchpelt and Patchfoot capture her.

Skypaw was strong. Much stronger than her, he also was a skilled fighter, while Featherpaw hardly had her training. But he wasn't smart. Featherpaw realized that she had to focus on his weakness.

She almost cried out in pain as Skypaw raked his claws across her back.

He was about to do it again, but Featherpaw slipped away under his legs, just in time.

Skypaw looked around in confusion.

Featherpaw saw her chance now. She pounced on Skypaw's tail, and bit hard in it.

Skypaw let out a cry of terror, and he ran away.

Featherpaw realized with satisfaction that she had almost bit of part of his tail.

'Well done!' She heard a voice pop up from behind her. She spun around. It was Cinderpaw.

She nodded in thanks, and they took on a fierce looking Leopardclan warrior called Leopardpelt.

Soon Featherpaw realized that this cat was harder to fight than Skypaw. Leopardpelt was a strong, skilled fighter, and she was smart too.

She felt Leopardpelt spring on her back, and pin her down. She saw Leopardpelt raise a paw, ready to rake it accros her belly. She closed her eyes, ready for the pain.

But to her surprise, she felt the weight lifting. She opened her eyes, and she saw Cinderpaw pulling Leopardpelt of her belly. She stood up, and she raked _her _claws across Leopardpelt´s belly.

Leopardpelt screached in pain, and ran away. Cinderpaw looked at her. 'That was fun!' She half joked.

Cinderpaw went of to fight a full sized Leopardclan-cat, and she went towards a not paying attention apprentice, sniffing some weird looking leaves, and bending over Skypaw.

Featherpaw braced herself for attacking. She jumped on the apprentice's back. The apprentice sceached in pain. She was about to rake her claws across the she-cats back, when something lifted her from the apprentice. She spun around angerly to see the cat who had distubed her fight.

To her great surprise, she saw that this was her own mentor, Heathershine. What are you-

Heathershine silenced her with an angry stare.

This is Flowerpaw, Leopardclan's medicine-cat apprentice, she explained. Medicine-cats do not fight, and you musn't fight medicine-cats either. Medicine-cats are respected by the whole forest, even by other clans.

Okay, Featherpaw said, looking shyly at Flowerpaw, and murmering a quiet sorry.

Now go on and fight, Heathershine said to her, giving her a cuff around her ear.

Featherpaw went back towards the battling cats.

They were losing the fight, Featherpaw realized. She saw Silverpool squiming under Thistlestar's paws, Thistlestar was hissing something in her ear.

She walked closer to listen, carefully avoiding the other fighting cats.

'Traitor!' She heard Thistlestar say. 'How can you betray me, your own father!'

Father? Was Thistlestar Silverpool's own father?

Thistlestar didn't wait for an answer. He was about to bite in Silverpool' s neck! She realized. Thistlestar was about kill his own daughter!

She put her teath in Thistlestar's neck, and she pulled him away from Silverpool.

Thsitlestar span around to face her. He took up a hooked claw, aiming for her neck.

With a jolt of terror, she realized that this cat was about to kill her. She felt his claws in her neck.

Then Thistlestar's weight lifted, and she saw her father, Lionclaw. How did he come here?

She started to feel drowsy, and she realized that Thistlestar had injured her so much that she was dying.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

'Lionclaw! Lilypetal! Oakleap! Tigerstripe! Stormshine! Thunderstrike! Stonepaw!'

Her clanmates had come to help with the fight against Leopardclan!

Immediately they trust themselves into the battle.

She ran over to Birchpelt. With a jolt of fury, she reconized that this was the cat who had captured her sister Featherpaw.

Birchpelt was a very skilled fighter, quite clever too.

He almost immediately had Cinderpaw pinned down to the ground.

Cinderpaw was losing. Bichpelt was raking his claws across her belly.

Then she saw a familiar cat with starry fur. Sandwing! Sandwing had come to help her!

Suddenly Cinderpaw felt strong again. She shook of Birchpelt, jumped on his back, and raked her claws across it.

Birchpelt let out a terrified yowl. She gave him one more swift bite, and Birchpelt fled.

'Coward!' She called after him, and she went back to fight another cat.

There weren't many cats left in the clearing, at least not many enemy-cats.

They were winning the fight!

She watched more cats fleeing.

Only Thistlestar was left now, bending over a body with another cat hissing furiously at him.

She walked closer. She saw that the furious cat was her father Lionclaw.

'Who's body were they bending over?'

When she was closer she saw, with a jolt of horror, that the body was Featherpaw's.

Was her sister dead?

Her sister was dead! She wanted to cry out her pain to the world. She would never see Featherpaw again! What would she say to Dovepaw?

Where was Dovepaw? Surely her sister would want to fight for her and Featherpaw, just as much as she had wanted to before she was captured?

She looked at Lionclaw and Thsitlestar again. Her father was practicallly spitting in Thistlestar's face now.

'She's dying!' Lionclaw shouted. 'What kind of warrior kills? You aren't a warrior anymore!' He said.

'You're just a filthy piece of crow-food!'

Thistlestar looked furious now. 'How dare you acuse me of killing?' He said.

He looked around the clearing. He rested his eyes on Cinderpaw.

'She killed her!' Cinderpaw was horrified. 'Thistlestar was accusing _her _of killing her own sister!'

Lionclaw looked like he was about to burst with fury now.

'Now you're accusing my _own _daughter of killing her! Everyone saw that you were the one fighting her!'

Cinderpaw felt a little realived now.

Thank Heavenclan that her father didn't believe Thistlestar!

Lionclaw signaled with his tail to the other cats.

Everyone sprang forwards, heading toward Thistlestar.

Thistlestar let out a screach of terror.

She saw Thistlestar realizing that he couldn't win this fight.

He quickly ran away, away from clan territory.

And don't come back! She heard Mousepaw calling after him.

Cinderpaw let out a yowl of triumph. They had won this fight! But Featherpaw was dead …


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

'Dovepaw? Dovepaw?'

Cedartail sounded worried. He had obviously sensed that something was troubling her.

'Cedartail … 'She said. 'I've got to go back to camp. Now.'

'What? What's wrong?' Cedartail sounded hurt.

'Well, Lionclan was planning to attack, tonight. And I was chosen for the patrol, but I totally forgot!'

'Oh. Now I understand.' Cedartail sounded relieved. 'But they'll probably have someone to replace you?' 'But Featherpaw and Cinderpaw are my sisters! I wanted to fight for them!' She said.

Now Cedartail looked shocked. 'Cinderpaw...Is she the brown-gray cat with stripes? Is she _your _sister?'

'Yes!' Dovepaw said. How does Cedartail know Cinderpaw? She asked herself, and why is he so shocked?

'Cedartail...' Her voice trailed of a bit. 'How come you know Cinderpaw?'

'Errr ...' Cedartail didn't seem sure of what to say. 'I've seen her patrolling the border.'

Had Cinderpaw _ever _patrolled the border? Maybe it was when she had been exploring the terrirory.

But why did Cedartail look _so _guilty? Dovepaw didn't know.

Cedartail... I _have_ to go back to camp. Now.

Cedartail wrapped his tail around hers. 'We'll see eachother soon, won't we?'

'Yes.' Dovepaw promised, tomorrow night. Same time, same place.

Cedartail nodded in agreement. He slowly let her tail go. 'Be careful, will you?' He asked her. 'I mean, with the fighting.'

'He was worried about her!' Dovepaw liked the idea. 'Of course.' she promised him. 'I won't get hurt.'

Cedartail gave her one last look, and Dovepaw returned it, and she ran away.

She could feel Cedartail staring after her.

She raced through the forest. She felt the bushes brush her pelt as she raced through the camp entrance.

But she was to late. The only cats in camp where the queens, elders and the warriors protecting the camp.

'Dovepaw!' She heard Lightningwing call her name. 'Where were you, for Heavenclan's sake? The patrol had to leave without you!'

'Sorry.' Dovepaw said. 'I was just errrr … hunting, and I forgot that I was chosen for the patrol.'

Lightningwing looked at her with disbelieving look on his face, but he said nothing.

'Should I go after them?' Dovepaw asked him.

Lightningwing sighed. 'There's no point. They´ll probably be back soon. They left just before sunset.'

Dovepaw felt quite embarrassed of herself. How could she forget the battle? She didn't know.

'Hi Dovepaw!' Honeykit, Poppykit and Seedkit were half walking, half bouncing toward her.

'Hi.' Dovepaw said. She hoped that she'd, when she was older, have kits of her own. She felt cheered by these kits happy bouncing.

'Why didn't you go to the battle?' Seedkit asked her. They didn't wait for an answer. 'I wish I could have gone!' Poppykit squealed. 'Why can't we be apprentices?'

'You'll be apprentices soon.' Dovepaw promised.

'I want to be an apprentice n -' Honeykit´s mew was interrupted.

The battle-patrol emerged into the clearing.

They all had sad looks on their faces. 'We've won.' Said Stromshine, but not happily.

Dovepaw sensed that something was wrong, terriblelly wrong.

Then she saw that her senses were right.

Cinderpaw, Lionclaw and Lilypetal were carrying a body into the clearing, Featherpaw's body.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

Everything was dark. There was nothing else left. There was only darkness.

Featherpaw opened her eyes. There was light again!

But it wasn't the battle place. There were no cats, except a strange cat she didn't know.

She looked around. She had been here before, she realized, just once, but she didn't know when.

'Hello, little one.' The strange cat was walking towards her. This wasn't a Lionclan cat, but the cat had a Lionclan scent. Then she saw that the cat had stars on her fur. She must be from Heavenclan. Did that mean that she was in Heavenclan now? She didn't want to. She wanted to be back in the Lionclan camp, with both her sisters at her side. She almost wanted to wail it out. She knew that she ought to be happy. At least she wasn't in Hellclan. She shuddered at only the idea of the place: shadowy cats with empty eyes. All the bad clan cats went there. She hoped Thistlestar would go there when he died. She just couldn't imagine him walking in Heavenclan!

Then she realized the strange Heavenclan cat was looking at her.

'Errr, Hi.' She mewed quickly. 'Are you from Heavenclan? You must be, with all those stars on your fur! Does that mean that I'm in Heavenclan now?'

'Yes, I am from Heavenclan.' The she-cat answered. 'No _you _aren't in Heavenclan. You almost were, with those wounds, but I've come to bring you back. You're time with Heavenclan hasn't come, yet.'

She wasn't in Heavenclan! She was going to see her littermates again! She was _so _happy!

'Who are you?' She asked. 'You were from Lionclan, weren't you? When am I going home?'

The strange Heavenclan cat didn't seem troubled by all the questions at once.

'I'm Brightstar.' she said. 'I was your leader before Jaystar, so I _was _from Lionclan. You are going home, _now.'_

'Thank you!' Featherpaw exclaimed. 'But, how do I come home?'

'Just close your eyes. Brightstar said, and then open them again. You´ll find yourselfe in the camp.

Thanks again! said. And good-bye!

Good hunting, little one, Brightstar said. 'And she vanished.'

Featherpaw closed her eyes. Everything was dark again, but not the same terrifying dark. It was the kind of dark of a beautiful night, not the kind of dark of emptyness.

Featherpaw opened her eyes.

But she couldn't open them! Maybe it was because of the wet sticky thing, the thing at her belly that hurt so much.

It would probably be a wound. But how did she get it? She knew that it would probably be the reason of her nearly being in Heavenclan, but she just couldn't remember how she had gotten it.

She twitched in pain as she tried to feel the wound with her tail. It hurt _really_ much!

'Fernleaf! Berrypaw! She's alive! She just moved!' She heard Lionclaw's voice call the medicine-cat, but she couldn't see him.

'She's alive! She's alive! Lilypetal! She's alive!' Now it was Cinderpaw's voice she heard.

She heard her mother's pawsteps as she walked toward her.

'She's alive? I thought she was dead!' Now it was Dovepaw's voice she heard.

'Dovepaw! How did you come here?' She heard her father's happy voice turn to anger.

'I -' Dovepaw sounded like she was ashamed of herself.

What was wrong with Dovepaw? She thought, what was wrong with her sister?

And why couldn't she see? Was she blind? Would she _never _be able to see again?  
The thought hit her at once. She would never ever be able to see anything she loved, or hated again.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

'Dovepaw!' How come Dovepaw was here? Cinderpaw hadn't seen her at the battle, so she had thought that Dovepaw had joined Tigerclan or something.

Featherpaw stirred again. Cinderpaw had been _so _happy when she found out that Featherpaw was alive.

'Cinderpaw.' Cinderpaw turned around when she heard her father talking to her. 'Cinderpaw, you must go and see Fernleaf or Berrypaw. You fought hard for an apprentice who only had half a moon of training, and you did well, but you must have some injuries.'

'I don't have much injuries.' Cinderpaw replied. 'Just some scratches and bruises, all those fox-dung eating Leopardclan warriors were bumping into me!'

Lionclaw let out a _mrrow _of laughter. 'I still want you to see Fernleaf or Berrypaw, just in case anything is infected.' he insisted.

Cinderpaw let out a sigh. 'How's Featherpaw?' She asked, wanting to change the subject. 'Will she live?'

'I think so ...' Lionclaw looked like he actually had no idea. 'Fernleaf and Berrypaw know what they're doing, so ...' Her father didn't finish his sentence. Was that a bad sign? Cinderpaw didn't know.

'Why wasn't Dovepaw at the battle?' Cinderpaw asked her Lionclaw.

'Dunno.' Lionclaw sounded tired. 'She just vanished! I'll have some harsh words with her later. I'll go to bed now, he said. I´m _bone _tired!'

Cinderpaw nodded.

She looked around the clearing for Dovepaw. She would confront her sister for betraying her clan, betraying her clan by being with cruel-hearted Cedartail! Cedartail, who had taken _her _into a trap!

She saw Dovepaw heading towards the apprentice-den. Dovepaw was just going to sleep! Didn't she feel guilty at all? She knew that her sister was kind of soppy, but she also was fiercly loyal, and she would _never _do anything that would damage Lionclan, at least, nothing that she knew of.

Dovepaw was walking toward her.

'Errrr, hi, Cinderpaw.' she said. 'It's errr, great to see you again!'

Cinderpaw didn't return her greeting.

'Dovepaw!' She said. 'Why did you have to fall in love, falling in love already is bad enough, but now, with that piece of fox-dung? I couldn't except this from you!'

'Cinderpaw?' Dovepaw sounded shocked. 'Cinderpaw, how come you know about Cedartail and me?'

'Never mind that!' Cinderpaw said. 'You were meeting him, weren't you? You were meeting him, instead of fighting against our enemys!'

Dovepaw looked down, but Cinderpaw still spotted a guilty look in her eyes, it was the proof that she had been meeting Cedartail.

'Dovepaw, you know that Cedartail is fox-hearted. Look at what he did to me! She sent me into a trap, that´s how Leopardclan caught me!'

'Did Cedartail really-' Dovepaw hesitated while she talked. 'No!' She finally said. 'I won't believe you! You're just jealous that he's mine and not yours!'

Did Dovepaw really think that she liked Cedartail? She was even dumper than she thought!

'If you still want to meet him, go ahead! I don't care! But one thing is sure. Featherpaw and I won't want to be best friends with you anymore, and when the clan finds out, they'll all hate you as much as I do! And they'll all drive you out! You're just as bad as Cedartail!' Cinderpaw hissed.

Dovepaw looked hurt, and walked away.

Cinderpaw started to feel guilty now. She had been quite mean to Dovepaw.

Tigerstripe approched her, and he said. 'Cinderpaw, you're going to the gathering tonight!'

Wow! She was going to the gathering! Cinderpaw was so excited!


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

'Help! Help me! Please!'

Everything still was dark. She could see nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing.

'Brightstar! Brightstar, please! Why can't I see?'

'All will come in time, little one.' She heard Brightstar's voice, but she couldn't see her.

You're not blind, as you fear, but you shall need time to heal, and patience, but yes, you'll heal.

She was going to be okay! She could say it to all the cats that existed, living and dead.

But then there suddenly was a disgusting scent, wich was quite familiar, to familiar.

'You're wrong, stupid shiny little bright star! She's going to die, and I shall kill her, _now_.'

'This feather-brained apprentice, no wonder that she's called _feather_paw, this apprentice was so

_feather_-brained that she thought that I wouldn't take revenge, but she was wrong, _so _wrong. I, the ledgenary Thistlestar, will not, or never, die in vain!'

'No!' Brightstar's voice croaked. 'You shall not kill again, for you have killed much, _too _much!'

Thistlestar just shrugged. 'We'll see to that.' He said. 'Now! Little "appy," prepare yourself for the last moments of your pretty little life!'

'She was going to die! She was going to die, _now_!'

'You're going to die! You're going to die, _now_!'

Thistlestar echoed her thoughts.

Thistlestar prepared himself to jump.

Thistlestar jumped.

But not on her. On Brightstar. The brave ledgenary leader had thrust herself between her and Thistlestar.

'Not when I can prevent it!' Brightstar yowled.

To Featherpaw's great surprise, Thistlestar looked frusterated for a moment. Thistlestar must have been a leader who easily lost his temper, Featherpaw realized.

But now it wasn't time for thoughts about Thistlestar in the past.

She had to focus her thoughts on Thistlestar, yes, but on Thistlestar _now_.

She thrust herself in the battle.

For a moment, a moment that could have been a heartbeat or several seasons, the only things that she could see and feel where teeth and claws.

Then Brightstar fell down to the ground, and Thistlestar turned to face her.

'I'm done with her now.' He sneered. 'But not with _you_.'

Without waiting for her to say anything back, he pounced on her.

He clawed at her belly a few times, but then he started to aim for her neck.

Again, he lifted a paw.

Again, the weight lifted.

Who was her hero this time? Was it Brightstar? It couldn't be Brightstar, the leader had been gravely injured.

She looked up.

She felt her jaws open in amazement. All the warriors of Heavenclan were fighting for her, fighting against Thistlestar.

'Wake up!' One of them said to her. 'Wake up. We'll deal with him.'

'She has more injuries!' Fernshade's voice cried. It was the first thing she heard. 'I'm afraid that she can never be a warrior now.' _What? _Thought Featherpaw. Did I just understand her right?

She could never be a warrior! Her life had been saved, but her greatest wish had been taken away.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

Cinderpaw! That stupid excuse for a sister, that stupid excuse for a warrior, that stupid excuse for a cat, had accused _her _of being disloyal! How dare she!

Dovepaw was walking through the forest, heading towards the Tigerclan border, to meet Cedartail.

Well. She realized, Cinderpaw had proved that she understood nothing of friendship, in fact, nothing of _love, _nothing of the love that she felt for Cedartail. Cinderpaw was just her dump stupid sister, and the only thing that mattered to was trying to please Oakleap and her clan. Cinderpaw understood nothing, _nothing _of having some fun in your life.

She heard a mouse scuttering around in some bushes, probably looking for some food.

It was tempting to go and stalk it, it sounded fat and juicy, but she walked on, she just _couldn't _come to late for a meeting with Cedartail.

She could just imagine what Cinderpaw would say if she ever found out about her delaying a juicy piece of fresh-kill, she could hear her sister´s voice in her head clearly now: '_How could you not catch a piece of fresh-kill when it almost ran into your paws? How could you do such a thing? You are such a stupid excuse for a cat?'_

Yes, that would be Cinderpaw all over again.

She was almost at the border now.

She sprang over the shade-stream, not bothering to cross the fallen tree that was their bridge.

'Dovepaw! Dovepaw! Are you here yet?'

Dovepaw heard Cedartail's voice, calling her name.

'Who's making all the noise now?' She teased as she crept through a bush that led to the secret meeting place.

'Dovepaw! You're here!' Cedartail sounded delighted to see her.

'Why wouldn't I be?' She meowed affectionally to him.

'No idea.' Cedartail murmered, and without waiting for her to answer, he twined his tail with her's, an he sat close to her, their pelts where brushing, and anyone who could see them now would have known immediately that they were more than friends.

'I love you, Dovepaw.' Cedartail murmered in her ear. 'I love you more then I should.'

'I love you too!' Dovepaw meowed fiercely. 'I love you even more then you love me!'

They sat together, and for a moment it was silent.

She heard something rustling in the ferns. She jumped at the sound.

'It's probably a scared bird or something like that.' Cedartail soothed her. 'It's probably nothing to worry about.'

Dovepaw let herself relax by the sound of his voice.

He twined his tail tighter with hers.

'Lets play!' Dovepaw suggested. 'Lets do something fun together!'

'Okay.' Cedartail agreed reluctantly, he clearly didn't like the idea as much as she did.

They scuffeled around for a while, until they were tired.

They sat close together again, their pelts brushing and their tails twined together.

Suddenly Cedartail moved. He looked down at her, his amber eyes looking seriously in her blue ones. 'I have to go now.' He said regretfully. 'Meet me tomorrow night.' He hesitated, and said: 'This is going to work, isn't it, I mean, you and me together?' Dovepaw nodded fiercly. 'Okay.' Cedartail looked reassured.

Cedartail vanished behing the bushes.

'What, in Heavenclan's name, was that about?' A voice called from behind her back.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Wow. So many cats, with so many scents! Cinderpaw looked out from the hill that led to the gathering place, called the holly-bush clearing.

'Come on, slow slug!' Cinderpaw heard Mousepaw's voice from behind her. 'You're keeping everyone waiting!'

'Sorry!' Cinderpaw felt embarrassed. 'It's just that there are very many cats!'

Mousepaw grunted.

'It's okay, you know.' Stonepaw symphatized her. 'I was very excited too, at my first gathering.'

'I don't need your sympathy!' Cinderpaw snapped. 'Stop acting like you're a senior warrior, and start acting like you're an apprentice who has had only 3 moons of training!'

Stonepaw looked hurt, and Cinderpaw realized that she had been to harsh.

'Sorry.' She apoligizedquickly. 'I'm just a bit nervous, I guess, and a bit worried about Featherpaw.'

Stonepaw looked reassured now, and he headed toward his sister, Mousepaw.

Cinderpaw quickly decided what to do, she would go to her mentor, Oakleap.

Oakleap was talking to a few Tiger and Jaguarclan warriors.

'Yeah, in our clan the cats captured by that piece of fox-dung were Cedarpaw, Cedartail now, and Sparrowfeather, Willowfrost and Briarstrike, Brackenstar was a bad leader, well, with bad judgement at least, he chose a _murderer_, a stupid _rogue _as his deputy!' A strong looking Tigerclan warrior spoke.

'Why did he ever murder someone?' A inexpierenced Jaguarclan warrior spoke now, looking quite innocent.

'He tried to murder Featherpaw, when we were fighting against him.' Oakleap spoke. 'And later Lionclaw.'The warrior looked shocked.

'That stupid fleabag even killed one of our apprentices then, had the makings of a great warrior, in fact, if she still lived, she would have been a warrior now!'

The Jaguarclan-cat looked like she was about to faint now.

'Who was it?' Oakleap's voice sounded hushed.

'Merrypaw.' Poor Cedartail's sister.

Cedartail? Did Cedartail have a sister who was killed by Thistlestar? Wasn´t that an extra reason to hate him, not help him! That cruel cat had killed his own sister!

'Merrypaw? Is Merrypaw dead?' The small Jaguarclan warrior spoke again. 'She was my friend!'

The older warriors eyes her pityously. 'What's your name?' One of them asked.

'It's- It's Blossomheart.' the she-cat spoke.

'Where you Blossompaw first?' Oakleap asked. 'So you have been made a warrior?' Blossomheart nodded proudly. 'Congratulations, Blossomheart!' Cinderpaw dared to speak up for the first time.

All the warriors looked at her. Cinderpaw noticed that they hadn't noticed that she had been listening to their conversation.

'Who's apprentice is this?' The big Tigerclan cat asked.

'Mine.' Oakleap spoke up. 'She started her training the day after the last gathering, she's called Cinderpaw.'

'Hi Cinderpaw!' Blossomheart was clearly reassured by her friendly congratulatoins.

'Hello.' Cinderpaw said back.

'Cinderpaw, Blossomheart, if I was you, I would go and talk to some apprentices or young warriors, at least cats of your own age.' The big Tigerclan cat said.

Cinderpaw and Blossomheart nodded, both looking embarrassed as they started looking around.

And to Cinderpaw's great horror, the first cat she spotted was Cedartail.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

Nooooooo! Noooooo! It just _couldn't _be true!

Would she _never ever _be a warrior?

Was it still worth to live this life?

Maybe she should kill herself, and then go to Heavenclan. Maybe all those Heavenclan warriors who had been fighting for her should have let her being killed by Thistlestar. Maybe it would have been better that way. Then she could have been running among the Heavenclan trees, and catching plumpy juicy Heavenclan mouses.

Yes. She thought. I'll kill myself.

The very moment that she could see again, she planned, she would go to the medicine-cat's herb-storage, and grab some Deathberries and eat them. Yes. She thought. That would be a good idea.

She felt herself turning sleepy, and she let her eyes close.

She thought of the argument that Dovepaw and Cinderpaw had been holding, of course they hadn´t meant her to hear, but she had heard.

Cinderpaw had been really angry at Dovepaw, and even though Featherpaw knew that Cinderpaw _had _been right, she could sort-of understand of having friends in other clans.

She had been captured by the Leapordclan cats, along with many other clan-cats- Cats who were now her friends.

With a stab of sadness, she remembered her friends, most of all the other apprentices.

Harepaw had been nice and loyal. She realized that she hadn't really _known_ him, she realized with a stab of regret. Now they couldn't be friends anymore. Flypaw was nice and loyal to, and also funny, and she had seemed to understand her feelings, yes, Flypaw had been a good friend.

Then you had Cedarpaw.

Cedarpaw. Before Dovepaw came Cedarpaw had been _her _closest friend.

But then Dovepaw came, and they had drifted apart, and now, even worse, she had found out the Cedarpaw had betrayed her.

Was he still Cedar_paw_? Maybe he had been made a warrior by now.

Dovepaw would probably know, she realized with an unexpected stab of jealousy.

Her thoughts drifted into a light disturbed sleep. She dreamt of Dovepaw and Cedarpaw being in love.

She thought of herself having no real close friend. Dovepaw had Cedarpaw.

With a stab of regret again, she realized that most of her closest friends, except for her littermates, were in other clans.

Featherpaw woke up by the sound of Tigerstripe, Heathershine and Lionclaw, her father, talking around her body.

She strained her ears to listen what they were saying.

'She was murmering in her sleep!' Lionclaw said. 'She could have had three different dreams, one about Dovepaw, one about that Tigerclan cat, and one about love! Maybe we haven't understood her well enough, she was just murmering in her sleep.

'Lionclaw.' Tigerstripe's voice was gentle. 'I know it's hard for you to believe that Dovepaw has betrayed her clan, but just think straightly. She was _really _tired this morning, she must have been meeting him at night! And now this dream ...' Lionclaw hung is head down. 'I know.' He said. 'I just never thought that ...'

Oh no. She had betrayed Dovepaw. Dovepaw would just kill her.

But then a small voice whispered in her head: '_Well, that's what you want, isn't it?'_


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

'Tigerstripe!' Dovepaw yowled in shock. Her mentor had found her with Cedartail! How long had he been watching her?

She remembered the noise in the bushes she had heard, that must have been Tigerstripe! That meant that her mentor had been watching her for a long time.

'Dovepaw?' There came another voice from behind her.

It was Cedartail! Her hero.

'What was that all about? Tigerstripe spoke up again. 'No. I don't need you to tell me. It was clear enough to me, what you two were doing.'

Dovepaw searched for signs of anger in his voice, but she could not find them: He was merely dissapointed.

Dovepaw bowed her head.

'Go away!' Cedartail spoke up. 'We're doing no harm!' Cedartail walked over to stand before Dovepaw, clearly trying to protect her.

'You're wrong. Tigerstripe's voice turned into a hiss, so now he _was _angry. This goes against the warrior code, and nobody is allowed to break it!'

Dovepaw felt the urge to say something, something in defense for her and Cedartail, but she found herself speechless.

Tigerstripe spoke up again.

'Dovepaw, I am really dissapointed in you. I'm going to ask you to break-up with Cedarpaw -' 'Cedartail!' Cedartail corrected him.

Tigerstripe shrugged, and he went on. 'With Cedarwhatever and have nothing, and _nothing _more to do with him.'

Dovepaw nodded - What else could she do?

'And if I _ever _find out that you're meeting with _him, _a Tigerclan warrior again, I'll, I'll tell the whole clan, and I'll ask Jaystar to confine you to the camp, for a whole _season_!'

'A whole season! That would be three moons! Three moons of getting ticks out of the elders fur, and changing bedding!'

Dovepaw shuddered. 'That would really be _horrible_!

'That's not fair -' Cedartail tried to defend her, but Tigerstripe gave him a furious look, a look that clearly told him _not _to interrupt.

'I'll deal with him.' Dovepaw murmered quietly in Cedartail's ear. 'You can get to your own camp.

When Cedartail still looked doubtfull, she murmered: 'Come on! He won't do anything to me! I'm his apprentice, and clanmate!'

Cedartail nodded slowly.

'Be careful.' He murmered in her ear. 'I love you!' And he vanished in the bushes.

'Come on, we should be heading back to camp.' Tigerstripe growled.

Dovepaw nodded slowly.

She followed him back to camp, thinking of her beloved Cedartail.

Suddenly she got very angry at Tigertsripe.

Didn't he understand _anything _about love? How could she ignore what her heart said?

She didn't know.

Then she reliezed that someone who knew about her and Cedartail must have betrayed her.

And she knew that only one cat knew about this.

Cinderpaw.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

Cinderpaw! The traitor! Dovepaw knew that Cinderpaw was _very _annoying, always following the warrior-code, but she never really thought that Cinderpaw would just betray her to Tigerstripe! How dare she?

Dovepaw was following Tigerstripe through the forest, heading back to camp.

At the moment she hated _everyone_, everyone except her beloved Cedartail. She would always be loyal to her clan, but sometimes they were _so _annoying, always following her, and never letting her have a bit of private time.

When they reached the camp-entrance, Tigerstripe looked at her seriously.

'Now remember what I told you.' He said. 'If you don't obey, you know what the punishment will be.'

Dovepaw nodded half-heartedly. She didn't really know if she would obey or not.

Tigerstripe gave her one last look, and he span around, heading through the camp-entrance. He signaled with his tail for Dovepaw to follow him.

'Hi Dovepaw!'

Seedkit and Poppykit were racing towards her, with Honeykit slowly following them.

'Hi.' Dovepaw said, feeling a little envy towards the happy little kits, having nothing to worry about.

'Dovepaw? Play with us!' Seedkit yowled.

'Yes! teach us fighting moves!' Poppykit said happily.

Honeykit looked at them both, a little frustrated.

'Poppykit, Seedkit! You must _ask _her politely, not order her! She's older than us!'

Poppykit looked at her angerly. 'Don't boss us around, you're not our mother!' Poppykit said.

Seedkit jumped up to agree with her. 'Yeah, who's ordering us around now?'

Honeykit tilted her head upwards, and she sniffed.

'Well, Goldcloud told us not to be impolite, and not to order cats older than us around!'

Poppykit and Seedkit ignored Honeykit.

'Come on, Seedkit lets do a play-fight, I bet I can win from you, I always do!' Yowled Poppykit.

'No you can't!' Seedkit yowled back, and he jumped on Poppykit.

Dovepaw watched Honeykit in amusement, as Honeykit was yowling protests.

'Stop that right now!' Honeykit mewed, 'It'll ruin your fur!'

Poppykit and Seedkit stopped.

Honeykit looked at them angerly. 'Play-fighting is for kits, and your fur will get ugly.' she squeaked.

Dovepaw looked at Honeykit. Honeykit was quite different than her brother and sister, she was much more serious and bossy than the other kits, and she never joined in with play-fights and other kit-stuff.

'So what?' Seedkit said. 'We _are_ kits, which is too bad. I want to be an apprentice! Anyway, since we're kits, it's okay for us to play-fight, and I don't care about my fur!'

'Me neither!' Poppykit yowled. 'Come on, Seedkit! Lets go on with the fight, and Honeykit can't play with us, she's no fun!'

'I wouldn't want to!' Honeykit squeaked in disgust, and walked away.

Dovepaw walked away. She decided that she would visit Featherpaw in the medicine-cat den.

She walked over, the camp was quite empty, most of the clan- including Cinderpaw, were at the gathering.

Before she reached Featherpaw, a strange smell drifted towards her, with lots of smoke.

She couldn't recognize it.

Then Nettlepool, who wasn't at the gathering, ran into the clearing.

'Fire! The forest is on fire!' She yowled.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

'Fire? Fire?' Featherpaw remembered the word "fire" from something.

She strained her brain to remember.

Yes! That was it.

She had heard Tawnypool, Ferretwing and Treemouse tell her and her littermates a story about it in the elders den- in fact, it had been Cinderpaw, her sister's favourite story in those times.

**Flashback**

'Kits! Go to the elders den now! You're doing nothing but waking up Honeykit, Seedkit and Poppykit! Bring them a mouse, and maybe they'll tell you a story.' Lilypetal scolded them.

'Yeah! A strory!' Featherkit squealed, and they headed towards the newly stocked fresh-kill pile.

'Look, that mouse looks _very _juicy!' Dovekit squealed. 'I'm sure the elders will like it!'

Cinderkit ran towards the elders den, with Dovekit and Featherkit following her.

'Tawnypool! Ferretwing! Treemouse! Look at this _gigantic _mouse! Look!' Cinderkit yowled.

'Wow. That one does look delicious, little one.' Tawnypool said gently.

'Yeah!' Cinderkit yowled. 'Tell us a story!'

'Don't queens teach their kits any manners at all, these days?' Treemouse complained. 'They're just ordering their elders around!'

'Sorry.' Cinderkit looked embarrassed.

She cheered up. 'Well, then, _may _we have a story?'

'Yeah! A story! A story!' She and Dovekit agreed with Cinderkit.

'Okay, little ones.' Tawnypool said. 'What kind of story?'

'One about our clan in the past!' Cinderkit yowled.

Cinderkit had always been a bit over-excited as a kit.

'Okay, Ferretwing, do you know a nice story for the kits?' Tawnypool asked.

'Errrm… what about the one with the fire?' Ferretwing suggested.

'Okay.' Tawnypool agreed.

'Well, once when I was just a young warrior, and Ferretwing and Treemouse just apprentices, there came a fire in Lionclan territory, and it swept through the camp.'

Dovekit gasped.

'We all had to flee, and some cats died, including one of our previous leaders- The one before Brightstar, the leader before Jaystar, he was called Duststar. Well, my littermate Brackenfoot died, one of our elders in those times- Wingfrost, and Jaystar- Jaykit then, well her brother, Sparrowkit, died.'

'Wow! So many cats died! That's really sad.' Featherkit said.

'Jaystar was once a kit?' Dovekit asked. 'Wow! She was then Jaykit!'

Tawnypool went on. 'We all fled, to the other side of the shade-stream, fire can not cross water, and we were safe.'

'But the whole forest was burned, and there was no prey, so two other cats died of hunger. Starlingkit, Jaykit's other littermate, and Morningglow, Jaykit's mother. Well, they both died. It was terrible.'

**End flashback. **

Featherpaw shook her head. She had drifted away in her little flashback! She must _concentrate_.

'Clear away the camp!' Nettlepool yowled. 'Go to the shade-stream! Get the kits, help the elders!'

Featherpaw heard the everyone scuffle around the clearing.

She stood up.

She suddenly yowled in panick. She still couldn't see!

Then she had a terrible thought. How could she escape the camp when she couldn't see?


End file.
